French Polynesia

Introduction

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Background:

The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.

French Polynesia

Geography

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Location:

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

Geographic coordinates:

15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total:  4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land:  3,660 sq km water:  507 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

2,525 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive economic zone:  200 NM territorial sea:  12 NM

Climate:

tropical, but moderate

Terrain:

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:  Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:  Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources:

timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use:

arable land:  1% permanent crops:  6% permanent pastures:  5% forests and woodland:  31% other:  57% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:

NA sq km

Natural hazards:

occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment - current issues:

NA

Geography - note:

includes five archipelagoes; Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru

French Polynesia

People

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Population:

253,506 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years:  29.74% (male 38,473; female 36,925) 15-64 years:  65.17% (male 86,128; female 79,076) 65 years and over:  5.09% (male 6,481; female 6,423) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.72% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:

18.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:

4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:

3.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth:  1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years:  1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years:  1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over:  1.01 male(s)/female total population:  1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population:  75.01 years male:  72.67 years female:  77.46 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.23 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

NA

Nationality:

noun:  French Polynesian(s) adjective:  French Polynesian

Ethnic groups:

Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Religions:

Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%

Languages:

French (official), Tahitian (official)

Literacy:

definition:  age 14 and over can read and write total population:  98% male:  98% female:  98% (1977 est.)

French Polynesia

Government

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Country name:

conventional long form:  Territory of French Polynesia conventional short form:  French Polynesia local long form:  Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise local short form:  Polynesie Francaise former:  French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status:

overseas territory of France since 1946

Government type:

NA

Capital:

Papeete

Administrative divisions:

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent note:  Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia

Independence:

none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday:

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

based on French system

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state:  President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since NA 1994) head of government:  President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996) cabinet:  Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections:  French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections:  last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results:  percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4 note:  one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif

Political parties and leaders:

Centrist Union or UC [leader NA]; Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

NA

International organization participation:

ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:

two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions

French Polynesia

Economy

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Economy - overview:

Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefited from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs.

GDP:	purchasing power parity - $2.6 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

2.5% (1997 est.)

GDP - per capita:

purchasing power parity - $10,800 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture:  4% industry:  18% services:  78% (1997)

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%:  NA% highest 10%:  NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

1.5% (1994)

Labor force:

70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)

Unemployment rate:

15% (1992 est.)

Budget:

revenues:  $1 billion expenditures:  $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)

Industries:

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

430 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:

fossil fuel:  51.16% hydro:  48.84% nuclear:  0% other:  0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:

399.9 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products:

coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products

Exports:

$205 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities:

cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997)

Exports - partners:

Japan 62%, US 21% (1999)

Imports:

$749 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities:

fuels, foodstuffs, equipment

Imports - partners:

France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999)

Debt - external:

$NA

Economic aid - recipient:

$367 million (1997)

Currency:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:

XPF

Exchange rates:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year:

calendar year

French Polynesia

Communications

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Telephones - main lines in use:

52,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

5,427 (1997)

Telephone system:

general assessment:  NA domestic:  NA international:  satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:

AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios:

128,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:

7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions:

40,000 (1997)

Internet country code:

.pf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):

2 (2000)

Internet users:

5,000 (2000)

French Polynesia

Transportation

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Railways:

0 km

Highways:

total:  792 km paved:  264 km unpaved:  528 km (2000)

Waterways:

none

Ports and harbors:

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Merchant marine:

total:  4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT ships by type:  cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Airports:

45 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:

total:  32 over 3,047 m:  2 1,524 to 2,437 m:  5 914 to 1,523 m:  19 under 914 m:  6 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total:  13 914 to 1,523 m:  3 under 914 m:  10 (2000 est.)

French Polynesia

Military

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Military branches:

French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

French Polynesia

Transnational Issues

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Disputes - international:

none