2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent

note

Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.1% (male 36,541/female 34,999) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 96,769/female 89,593) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 8,428/female 8,248) (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Airports

51 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 25

total

39

under 914 m

7 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

12 914 to 1,523 m: 5

under 914 m

7 (2006)

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. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded. Geography French Polynesia

Birth rate

16.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$644.1 million; including capital expenditures of $185 million (1999)

revenues

$865 million

Capital

geographic coordinates

17 32 S, 149 34 W

name

Papeete

time difference

UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

tropical, but moderate

Coastline

2,525 km

Constitution

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Country name

conventional long form

Overseas Lands of French Polynesia

conventional short form

French Polynesia

former

French Colony of Oceania

local long form

Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise

local short form

Polynesie Francaise

Currency (code)

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code

XPF

Death rate

4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$NA

Dependency status

overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas lands of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas lands of France)

Disputes - international

none This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Economic aid - recipient

$580 million (2004)

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

443.6 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

477 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

60.7%

hydro

39.3%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (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 - 95.01 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002)

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 Anne BOQUET (since September 2005)

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 for five-year terms (no term limits)

head of government

President of French Polynesia Gaston TONG SANG (since 14 December 2006); President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004)

Exports

$211 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat

Exports - partners

France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2005)

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.1%

industry

19%

services

76.9% (2005)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$17,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA% (2001 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.58 billion (2003 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 - note

under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister Economy French Polynesia

Government type

NA

Heliports

1 (2006)

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

$1.706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners

France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2005)

Independence

none (overseas lands of France)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Infant mortality rate

female

6.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

9.55 deaths/1,000 live births

total

8.29 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.1% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

FZ, ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WMO

Internet country code

.pf

Internet hosts

14,047 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

55,000 (2005) Transportation French Polynesia

Irrigated land

10 sq km (2003)

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

65,870 (December 2005)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

13%

industry

19%

services

68% (2002)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0.75%

other

93.75% (2005)

permanent crops

5.5%

Languages

French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)

Legal system

based on French system

Legislative branch

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for May 2004 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, Union for Democracy 27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13 February 2005 seating was as follows: People's Rally for the Republic 27, Union for Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New Democracy 3

elections

last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)

note

one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held 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 in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.63 years (2006 est.)

male

73.69 years

total population

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

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49

69,679 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49

55,305 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males age 18-49

2,747 (2005 est.)

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Median age

female

27.5 years (2006 est.)

male

28.2 years

total

27.9 years

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned

1 (France 1)

registered in other countries

2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2006)

total

13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWT

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France Transnational Issues French Polynesia

Military branches

no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Nationality

adjective

French Polynesian

noun

French Polynesian(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

occasional cyclonic storms in January

Natural resources

timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Net migration rate

2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

6,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); 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]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Population

274,578 (July 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

1.48% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Papeete Military French Polynesia

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

128,000 (1997)

Religions

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

Roadways

paved

1,735 km

total

2,590 km

unpaved

855 km (1999)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 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

country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

53,400 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

87,000 (2005)

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

2.01 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate

11.8%