Païta
{{For|the town in Peru|Paita}}
{{Infobox French commune
|name = Païta
|commune status = Commune
|province = South Province
|image = Païta 02.jpg
|caption = An aerial view of Païta
|map size = 270px
|adjustable map = Locator map of Païta 2018.png
|map caption = Location of the commune (in red) within New Caledonia
|INSEE = 98821
|postal code = 98890
|mayor = Maryline d'Arcangelo
|term = 2024–2026
|coordinates = {{coord|-22.1337|166.3505|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|elevation m = 30
|elevation min m = 0
|elevation max m = 1618
|area km2 = 699.7
|population = 24563
|population date = 2019
|ethnic = Kanaks 22.31%
Wallisians and Futunans 19.83%
Europeans 19.74%
Mixed 15.72%
Other 22.4%
|ethnic date = 2019 census
}}
Païta ({{IPA|fr|pajta}}) is a commune in the suburbs of Nouméa in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. New Caledonia's international airport, La Tontouta International Airport, is located there.
Geography
=Climate=
Païta features a tropical savanna climate (Köppen: Aw). The average annual temperature in Païta is {{cvt|23.3|C}}. The average annual rainfall is {{cvt|851.9|mm}} with March as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in February, at around {{cvt|26.9|C}}, and lowest in July, at around {{convert|19.5|C}}. The highest temperature ever recorded in Païta was {{cvt|38.1|C}} on 4 March 1997; the coldest temperature ever recorded was {{cvt|6.3|C}} on 8 August 1957.
{{Weather box|width=auto
|location = Païta (La Tontouta, 1991−2020 normals, extremes 1951−present)
|single line = Y
|metric first = Y
|Jan record high C = 37.5
|Feb record high C = 37.9
|Mar record high C = 38.1
|Apr record high C = 35.7
|May record high C = 33.2
|Jun record high C = 33.2
|Jul record high C = 32.6
|Aug record high C = 31.1
|Sep record high C = 34.8
|Oct record high C = 35.1
|Nov record high C = 36.8
|Dec record high C = 37.5
|Jan record low C = 14.7
|Feb record low C = 15.6
|Mar record low C = 12.2
|Apr record low C = 12.0
|May record low C = 9.0
|Jun record low C = 6.8
|Jul record low C = 6.4
|Aug record low C = 6.3
|Sep record low C = 7.8
|Oct record low C = 8.9
|Nov record low C = 10.7
|Dec record low C = 13.4
|Jan high C = 31.7
|Feb high C = 31.7
|Mar high C = 30.6
|Apr high C = 29.0
|May high C = 27.0
|Jun high C = 25.4
|Jul high C = 24.5
|Aug high C = 24.8
|Sep high C = 26.7
|Oct high C = 28.6
|Nov high C = 30.2
|Dec high C = 31.5
|year high C = 28.5
|Jan mean C = 26.6
|Feb mean C = 26.9
|Mar mean C = 26.1
|Apr mean C = 24.4
|May mean C = 22.3
|Jun mean C = 20.7
|Jul mean C = 19.5
|Aug mean C = 19.6
|Sep mean C = 20.8
|Oct mean C = 22.7
|Nov mean C = 24.3
|Dec mean C = 25.9
|year mean C = 23.3
|Jan low C = 21.5
|Feb low C = 22.1
|Mar low C = 21.6
|Apr low C = 19.7
|May low C = 17.5
|Jun low C = 16.0
|Jul low C = 14.6
|Aug low C = 14.3
|Sep low C = 15.0
|Oct low C = 16.8
|Nov low C = 18.4
|Dec low C = 20.3
|year low C = 18.1
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 94.9
|Feb precipitation mm = 122.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 133.9
|Apr precipitation mm = 73.0
|May precipitation mm = 64.2
|Jun precipitation mm = 64.1
|Jul precipitation mm = 57.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 65.9
|Sep precipitation mm = 28.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 23.9
|Nov precipitation mm = 40.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 83.4
|year precipitation mm = 851.9
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 8.4
|Feb precipitation days = 9.6
|Mar precipitation days = 10.1
|Apr precipitation days = 6.4
|May precipitation days = 7.0
|Jun precipitation days = 6.8
|Jul precipitation days = 6.9
|Aug precipitation days = 6.6
|Sep precipitation days = 3.8
|Oct precipitation days = 3.2
|Nov precipitation days = 4.1
|Dec precipitation days = 6.3
|year precipitation days = 79.2
|Jan sun = 219.6
|Feb sun = 182.7
|Mar sun = 182.9
|Apr sun = 174.3
|May sun = 163.0
|Jun sun = 146.1
|Jul sun = 166.2
|Aug sun = 191.7
|Sep sun = 221.3
|Oct sun = 249.3
|Nov sun = 239.1
|Dec sun = 239.8
|year sun = 2376.0
|source 1 = Météo-France{{cite web
| url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98821001.pdf
|title=Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records
| publisher = Météo-France
| access-date = August 26, 2022}}
|source 2 = Service de la météorologie de la Nouvelle-Calédonie{{cite web
| url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98821001.pdf
| title=climate of Païta 1981-2010
| language = fr
| publisher = Météo-France
| access-date = April 7, 2022}}
}}
Population
{{Historical populations
| align = none
| percentages = pagr
| graph-pos = right
|1956 |1397
|1963 |1903
|1969 |2522
|1976 |3407
|1983 |4834
|1989 |6049
|1996 |7862
|2004 |12062
|2009 |16358
|2014 |20616
|2019 |24563
}}
Sights
The Catholic church in the centre of Paita was built in 1875. The modern Cultural Centre in the High Street is used for various exhibitions and cultural performances. The Town Hall (Mairie) is close by.
About one mile from the town centre to the north, is the former railway station of the Nouméa-Païta railway where a small locomotive which was used until 1940 can be seen.Piere Grundmann: Nouvelle Calédonie, p. 110. Paris 2012
In the southeast of Paita petroglyphs possibly dating from the 13th or 14th century B.C. can be seen on a rock at a small river. Some of the petroglyphs look similar to the sun or to flowers. From the road the place can be reached by cement stairs behind a wooden pavilion.Pierre Grundmann: Nouvelle Calédonie, p. 242. Paris 2012
References
External links
- [http://paita.nc/ Official Website]
{{Commons category|Païta}}
{{Administrative divisions of New Caledonia}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Paita}}
Category:Communes of New Caledonia
{{NewCaledonia-geo-stub}}