1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
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
Climate
tropical, but moderate
Coastline
2,525 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Orohena 2,241 m
Environment-current issues
NA
Environment-international agreements
party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
15 00 S, 140 00 W
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
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 31% other: 57% (1993 est.)
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 hazards
occasional cyclonic storms in January
Natural resources
timber, fish, cobalt
Terrain
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 33% (male 40,264; female 38,770) 15-64 years: 62% (male 77,011; female 71,100) 65 years and over: 5% (male 5,347; female 5,352) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
22.67 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
5 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Infant mortality rate
13.67 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
French (official), Tahitian (official)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 72.25 years male: 69.87 years female: 74.75 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of literacy not available total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)
Nationality
noun: French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian
Net migration rate
0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
237,844 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
1.81% (1998 est.)
Religions
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.71 children born/woman (1998 est.)
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
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
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
Data code
FP
Dependency status
overseas territory of France since 1946
Executive branch
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (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: high commissioner appointed by the president of France 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
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
Government type
NA
Independence
none (overseas territory of France)
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)
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: People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Polynesian Union Party (includes Te Tiarama and Pupu Here Ai'a Party) [Jean JUVENTIN]; Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; 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]; Te e'a No Maohi Nui [Jean-Marius RAAPOTO]; Pupu Taina [Michel LAW]; Entente Polynesian [Arthur CHUNG]; Centrist Union or UC
Legal system
based on French system
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 March 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Polynesian Liberation Front 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
National capital
Papeete
National holiday
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture-products
coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products
Budget
revenues: $636 million expenditures: $643 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)
Currency
1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Debt-external
$NA
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $NA
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 20% of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory will continue to benefit from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs.
Electricity-capacity
79,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
1,500 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
330 million kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1-110.60 (January 1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993); note-linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Exports
total value: $245 million (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: cultured pearls 53.8%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992) partners: France 33%, US 8.5% (1994)
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$1.76 billion (1995 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (1992 est.)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$8,000 (1995 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
NA%
Imports
total value: $967 million (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment partners: France 44.7%, US 13.9% (1994)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Inflation rate-consumer price index
1.5% (1994)
Labor force
total: 118,744 (of which 70,044 are employed) (1988) by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1992 est.)
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.)
Unemployment rate
15% (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
43 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 25 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 4 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 11 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 792 km paved: 792 km (1995 est.) Ports and harbors: Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
Merchant marine
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,127 GRT/6,710 DWT ships by type: passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (1997 est.)
Railways
0 km
Military and Security
Military branches
French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Military-note
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes-international
none (overseas territory of France)