Communes represent the second and lowest administrative level in French Polynesia, which has a two-tier system of local government. The territory is divided into 48 communes that function similarly to municipalities in metropolitan France. Each commune is governed by a municipal council and mayor, responsible for local services such as urban planning, public infrastructure maintenance, waste management, and civil registration. Communes handle matters of immediate concern to residents, including local roads, water supply, school facilities, and community services. While French Polynesia has significant autonomy from France as an overseas collectivity, the communes operate under a framework that blends French administrative traditions with local governance structures adapted to the Pacific island context. Larger communes like Papeete, the capital, manage more complex urban services, while smaller island communes may have more limited administrative capacity and rely on support from higher governmental levels.