2010 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. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.

Area

land

3,827 sq km

total

4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)

water

340 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 (four volcanic, one 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

Irrigated land

10 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

0.75%

other

93.75% (2005)

permanent crops

5.5%

Location

Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about half way between South America and 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: 24.3% (male 35,631/female 34,097) 15-64 years: 68.9% (male 102,537/female 95,317) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 9,821/female 9,629) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

15.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

4.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

8.51 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.41 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

79.5 years (2010 est.)

male

74.44 years

total population

76.91 years

Literacy

definition: age 14 and over can read and write

female

98% (1977 est.)

male

98%

total population

98%

Median age

female

29.2 years (2010 est.)

male

29.8 years

total

29.5 years

Nationality

adjective

French Polynesian

noun

French Polynesian(s)

Net migration rate

2.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

291,000 (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

1.355% (2010 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

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: 1.02 male(s)/female

total population

1.06 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.89 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

52% of total population (2008)

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

Capital

geographic coordinates

17 32 S, 149 34 W

name

Papeete

time difference

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

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

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)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Adolphe COLRAT (since 7 July 2008); note - will be replaced in 2011 by Richard DIDIER

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 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 24 November 2009); President of the Territorial Assembly Oscar TEMARU (since 10 April 2010)

Flag description

two red horizontal bands encase a wide white band in a 1:2:1 ratio; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern depicting the sea on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern depicting the sun on the upper half; a stylized red, blue, and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the ship has a crew of five represented by five stars that symbolize the five island groups; red and white are traditional Polynesian colors note: similar to the red-white-red flag of Tahiti, the largest of the islands in French Polynesia, which has no emblem in the white band; the flag of France is used for official occasions

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas lands of France)

International organization participation

ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU

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

the laws of France where applicable apply

Legislative branch

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - Our Home alliance 45.2%, Union for Democracy alliance 37.2%, Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) 17.2% other 0.5%; seats by party - Our Home alliance 27, Union for Democracy alliance 20, Popular Rally 10 note: two seats were elected to the French Senate on 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1, independent 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 10-17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2

elections

last held on 27 January 2008 (first round) and 10 February 2008 (second round) (next to be held in 2013)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Maeva BOUGES, Irmine TEHEI, Angele TEROROTUA, Johanna NOUVEAU, Patrick AMARU, Louis MAMATUI and Jean-Pierre CELESTIN note: adopted 1993; serves as a local anthem; as a territory of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)

name

"Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" (Long Live Tahiti Nui)

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN(includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api); Our Home alliance; People's Servant Party (Tavini Huiraatira); Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira); Union for Democracy alliance or UPD

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Debt - external

$NA

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

604.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

650 million kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003) note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Exports

$211 million (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

3.5%

industry

20.4%

services

76.1% (2005)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$18,000 (2004 est.) $17,500 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.7% (2005) 5.1% (2002)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$6.1 billion (2004)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.718 billion (2004 est.) $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$1.706 billion (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.1% (2007) 1.1% (2006 est.)

Labor force

116,000 (2007)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

13%

industry

19%

services

68% (2002)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

7,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

6,701 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

11.7% (2005)

Broadcast media

the publicly-owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts on 2 television channels and 1 radio station; a government-owned TV station is operating; a small number of privately-owned radio stations also broadcast (2008)

Internet country code

.pf

Internet hosts

36,056 (2010)

Internet users

120,000 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is roughly 90 per 100 persons

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2009)

Telephones - main lines in use

54,300 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

208,300 (2009)

Airports

53 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

46 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 33 under 914 m: 7 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2010)

Heliports

1 (2010)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries

13 (Cambodia 1, France 12) (2010)

Ports and terminals

Papeete

Roadways

paved

1,735 km

total

2,590 km

unpaved

855 km (1999)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 81,794 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 66,451 females age 16-49: 65,306 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

2,481 (2010 est.)

male

2,592

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Military branches

no regular military forces

Disputes - international

none page last updated on January 11, 2011 ======================================================================