1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical, but moderate
Coastline
2,525 km
Comparative area
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Disputes
none
Environment
occasional cyclonic storm in January; includes five archipelagoes
Exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Land area
3,660 km2
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 1%; permanent crops 19%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 31%; other 44%
Natural resources
timber, fish, cobalt
Note
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
Terrain
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
3,941 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
28 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Infant mortality rate
15 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
76,630 employed (1988)
Languages
French and Tahitian (both official)
Life expectancy at birth
68 years male, 73 years female (1992)
Literacy
98% (male 98%, female 98%) age 14 and over but definition of literacy not available (1977)
Nationality
noun - French Polynesian(s); adjective - French Polynesian
Net migration rate
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
NA
Population
205,620 (July 1992), growth rate 2.3% (1992)
Religions
mainly Christian; Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%
Total fertility rate
3.3 children born/woman (1992)
Government
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
Capital
Papeete
Chief of State
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); High Commissioner of the Republic Jean MONTPEZAT (since November 1987)
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Diplomatic representation
as an overseas territory of France, French Polynesian interests are represented in the US by France
Elections
National Assembly last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) People's Rally (Gaullist) 1, New Fatherland Party 1
Executive branch
French president, high commissioner of the republic, president of the Council of Ministers, vice president of the Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers
Flag
the flag of France is used
French Senate
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) party NA
Head of Government
President of the Council of Ministers Gaston FLOSSE (since 10 May 1991); Vice President of the Council of Ministers Joel BUILLARD (since 12 September 1991)
Independence
none (overseas territory of France)
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal
Legal system
based on French system
Legislative branch
unicameral Territorial Assembly
Long-form name
Territory of French Polynesia
Member of
FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO
National holiday
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Political parties and leaders
People's Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira; Gaullist), Gaston FLOSSE; Polynesian Union Party (Te Tiarama; centrist), Alexandre LEONTIEFF; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api), Emile VERNAUDON; Polynesian Liberation Front (Tavini Huiraatira), Oscar TEMARU; other small parties
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Territorial Assembly
last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held March 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (41 total) People's Rally (Gaullist) 18, Polynesian Union Party 14, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4
Type
overseas territory of France since 1946
Economy
Agriculture
coconut and vanilla plantations; vegetables and fruit; poultry, beef, dairy products
Budget
revenues $614 million; expenditures $957 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988)
Currency
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural - francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.95 billion
Electricity
72,000 kW capacity; 265 million kWh produced, 1,390 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 97.81 (January 1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988), 109.27 (1987); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Exports
$88.9 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: coconut products 79%, mother-of-pearl 14%, vanilla, shark meat partners: France 54%, US 17%, Japan 17%
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $1.2 billion, per capita $6,000; real growth rate NA% (1991 est.)
Imports
$765 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment partners: France 53%, US 11%, Australia 6%, NZ 5%
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.9% (1989)
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 20% of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings.
Unemployment rate
14.9% (1988 est.)
Communications
Airports
43 total, 41 usable; 23 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
about 6 major transport aircraft
Highways
600 km (1982)
Merchant marine
3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,128 GRT/6,710 DWT; includes 2 passenger-cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo; note - a captive subset of the French register
Ports
Papeete, Bora-bora
Telecommunications
33,200 telephones; 84,000 radio receivers; 26,400 TV sets; broadcast stations - 5 AM, 2 FM, 6 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Branches
French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 50,844; NA fit for military service
Note
defense is responsibility of France