2000 Edition

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.

Area

land

3,660 sq km

total

4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)

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

highest point

Mont Orohena 2,241 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

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%

forests and woodland

31%

other

57% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

6%

permanent pastures

5%

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, hydropower

Terrain

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Age structure

0-14 years: 30% (male 38,736; female 37,197) 15-64 years: 65% (male 83,986; female 76,973) 65 years and over: 5% (male 6,127; female 6,091) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

19.01 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

4.41 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

French (official), Tahitian (official)

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.22 years (2000 est.)

male

72.47 years

total population

74.79 years

Literacy

definition

age 14 and over can read and write

female

98% (1977 est.)

male

98%

total population

98%

Nationality

adjective

French Polynesian

noun

French Polynesian(s)

Net migration rate

3.14 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

249,110 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.78% (2000 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: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female

total population

1.07 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.28 children born/woman (2000 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)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation in the 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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since NA 1994)

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

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)

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

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

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)

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

elections

last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)

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 holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Centrist Union or UC ; Entente Polynesian ; Haere i Mua ; Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) ; Independent Party (Ia Mana Te Nunaa) [Jacques DROLLET]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) ; People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) ; Polynesian Union Party (includes Te Tiarama and Pupu Here Ai'a Party) ; Pupu Taina ; Te Aratia Ote Nunaa (Tinomana Ebb); Te e'a No Maohi Nui

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

$900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)

revenues

$1 billion

Currency

1 Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$450.4 million (1995)

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.

Electricity - consumption

335 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

360 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

59.72%

hydro

40.28%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 117.67 (January 2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 CFPFs to the French franc

Exports

$212 million (f.o.b., 1996)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

US 11%, France 6% (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

4%

industry

18%

services

78% (1997)

GDP - per capita

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

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$860 million (c.i.f., 1996)

Imports - commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, equipment

Imports - partners

France 44.7%, US 13.9% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (1994)

Labor force

118,744 (of which 70,044 are employed) (1988)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

15% (1992 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

128,000 (1997)

Telephone system

domestic

NA

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

32,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4,000 (1995)

Television broadcast stations

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

Televisions

40,000 (1997)

Airports

45 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

30 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 6 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

15 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 10 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

792 km

total

792 km

unpaved

0 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (1999 est.)

total

4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT

Ports and harbors

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Railways

0 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Military branches

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

Disputes - international

none

FRENCH SOUTHERN AND

GABON