2003 Edition

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.3% (male 37,804; female 36,249) 15-64 years: 66.3% (male 90,421; female 83,304) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 7,226; female 7,121) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

45 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 22

total

37

under 914 m

8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

8 914 to 1,523 m: 3

under 914 m

5 (2002) Military French Polynesia

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

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. Geography French Polynesia

Birth rate

17.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$1 billion

Capital

Papeete

Climate

tropical, but moderate

Coastline

2,525 km

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Country name

conventional long form

Territory of French Polynesia

conventional short form

French Polynesia

former

French Colony of Oceania

local long form

Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise

local short form

Polynesie Francaise

Currency

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003

Currency code

XPF

Death rate

4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

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)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Economic aid - recipient

$367 million (1997)

Economy - overview

Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.

Electricity - consumption

398.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

428.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

60.7%

hydro

39.3%

nuclear

0%

other

0%; note - sun, wind, biomass (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mont Orohena 2,241 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Ethnic groups

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

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 126.41 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998)

note

pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

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 Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)

elections

French president elected by popular vote for a five-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 Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001)

Exports

$260 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

France 37.4%, Japan 35.5%, US 17.5% (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications French Polynesia

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 Economy French Polynesia

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

6%

industry

18%

services

76% (1997)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2001 est.)

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 140 00 W

Geography - note

includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); 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 People French Polynesia

Government type

NA

Highways

paved

1,735 km

total

2,590 km

unpaved

855 km (1999)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$1.2 billion f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners

France 58.9%, Australia 12.2%, New Zealand 6.9%, US 6.6% (2002)

Independence

none (overseas territory of France)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Infant mortality rate

female

7.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

10.12 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.78 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5%

International organization participation

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

Internet country code

.pf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

16,000 (2002) Transportation French Polynesia

Irrigated land

NA sq km

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

Labor force

70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

1.64%

other

92.35% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

6.01%

Languages

French (official), Tahitian (official)

Legal system

based on French system

Legislative branch

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; 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) 28, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 1

elections

last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006)

note

one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1

Life expectancy at birth

female

77.93 years (2003 est.)

male

73.08 years

total population

75.45 years

Literacy

definition

age 14 and over can read and write

female

98% (1977 est.) Government French Polynesia

male

98%

total population

98%

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

Median age

female

26.3 years (2002)

male

27.1 years

total

26.7 years

Merchant marine

ships by type

cargo 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)

total

7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,679 GRT/13,915 DWT

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Military branches

no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Nationality

adjective

French Polynesian

noun

French Polynesian(s)

Natural hazards

occasional cyclonic storms in January

Natural resources

timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Net migration rate

2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Political parties and leaders

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 of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api) [leader NA]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

262,125 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

1.62% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

128,000 (1997)

Railways

0 km

Religions

Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

NA

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

52,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

5,427 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

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

Televisions

40,000 (1997)

Terrain

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Total fertility rate

2.14 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

11.8% (1994)

Waterways

none