1996 Edition

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

Location

15 00 S, 140 00 W -- Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

land area

3,660 sq km

total area

4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)

Climate

tropical, but moderate

Coastline

2,525 km

Environment

current issues

NA

international agreements

NA

natural hazards

occasional cyclonic storms in January

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 140 00 W

Geographic 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

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

1%

forest and woodland

31%

meadows and pastures

5%

other

44%

permanent crops

19%

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural resources

timber, fish, cobalt

Terrain

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

highest point

Mount Orohena 2,241 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 35% (male 40,450; female 39,038) 15-64 years: 61% (male 70,506; female 65,620) 65 years and over: 4% (male 4,636; female 4,661) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

27.15 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.27 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Infant mortality rate

14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

French (official), Tahitian (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

73.5 years (1996 est.)

male

68.49 years

total population

70.94 years

Literacy

age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of literacy not available (1977 est.)

female

98%

male

98%

total population

98%

Nationality

adjective

French Polynesian

noun

French Polynesian(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

224,911 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

2.19% (1996 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

all ages

1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

3.26 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Data code

FP

Diplomatic representation in US

none (overseas territory of France)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers

chief of state

President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995); represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since 8 August 1994) who was appointed by the French Ministry of Interior

head of government

President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Tinomana EBB (since NA)

Flag

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 National Assembly

elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2

French Senate

elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) party NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of France)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal; Court of the First Instance; Court of Administrative Law

Legal system

based on French system

Legislative branch

unicameral

Name of country

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

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Political parties and leaders

People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira), Gaston FLOSSE; Polynesian Union Party (includes Te Tiarama and Here Ai'a Party), Jean JUVENTIN; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api), Emile VERNAUDON; Independent Party (Ia Mana Te Nunaa), Jacques DROLLET; Te Aratia Ote Nunaa, Tinomana EBB; Haere i Mua, Alexandre LEONTIEFF; other small parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Territorial Assembly

elections last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held NA March 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (41 total) People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 18, Polynesian Union Party 12, New Fatherland Party 7, other 4

Type of government

overseas territory of France since 1946

US diplomatic representation

none (overseas territory of France)

Agriculture

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

Budget

expenditures

$884 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)

revenues

$686 million

Currency

1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient

ODA, $NA

Economic 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. The territory will continue to benefit from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs.

Electricity

capacity

75,000 kW

consumption per capita

1,189 kWh (1994)

production

334 million kWh

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 91.00 (January 1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Exports

$230 million (f.o.b., 1994)

commodities

cultured pearls 41.6%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992)

partners

France 34%, US 10% (1992)

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.76 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

4%

industry

18%

services

78% (1992 est.)

GDP per capita

$8,000 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

NA%

Imports

$912 million (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, equipment

partners

ECE 64% (France 45.4%), US 13.6%, Australia 6.9%, NZ 5.8%, Japan 5% (1992)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (1994)

Labor force

76,630 employed (1988)

by occupation

agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Branches

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

Defense note

defense is the responsibility of France

Radio broadcast stations

AM 5, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios

116,000 (1992 est.)

Telephone system

domestic

NA

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones

33,200 (1983 est.)

Television broadcast stations

6

Televisions

35,000 (1992 est.) Defense

Airports

total

41

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

5

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

13

with paved runways over 3 047 m

2

with paved runways under 914 m

15

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

6 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

792 km (1995 est.)

total

792 km

Merchant marine

ships by type

passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (1995 est.)

total

3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,127 GRT/6,710 DWT

Ports

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Railways

0 km