2020 Edition

Background

Around 800 B.C., the first settlers arrived on the islands of Wallis and Futuna, which are a natural midpoint between Fiji and Samoa. Around A.D. 1500, Tongans invaded Wallis, and a chiefdom system resembling Tonga’s formal hierarchy developed on the island. Tongans attempted to settle Futuna but were repeatedly rebuffed. Samoans settled Futuna in the 1600s, and a slightly less centralized chiefdom system formed. Dutch explorers were the first Europeans to see the islands in 1616, followed intermittently by other Europeans, including British explorer Samuel WALLIS in 1767. French Catholic missionaries were the first Europeans to permanently settle Wallis and Futuna in 1837, and they converted most of the population of both islands by 1846. The missionaries and newly converted King LAVELUA of Uvea on Wallis asked France for a protectorate in 1842 following a local rebellion. France agreed, although the protectorate status would not be ratified until 1887. In 1888, King MUSULAMU of Alo and King TAMOLE of Sigave, both on Futuna, signed a treaty establishing a French protectorate; the Wallis and Futuna protectorate was integrated into the territory of New Caledonia the same year. France renegotiated the terms of the protectorate with the territory’s three kings in 1910, expanding French authority. Wallis and Futuna was the only French colony to side with the Vichy regime during World War II, until the arrival of Free French and US troops in 1942. In 1959, inhabitants of the islands voted to separate from New Caledonia, becoming a French overseas territory in 1961. Despite the split, a significant Wallisian and Futunan community still lives in New Caledonia. In 2003, Wallis and Futuna became a French overseas collectivity. The islands joined the Pacific Islands Forum as an associate member in 2018, two years after France’s other Pacific territories became full members of the organization.

Area

land

142 sq km

total

142 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Climate

tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 250-300 cm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees Celsius

Coastline

129 km

Elevation

highest point

Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 522 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Geographic coordinates

13 18 S, 176 12 W

Geography - note

both island groups have fringing reefs; Wallis contains several prominent crater lakes

Irrigated land

0.6 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

42.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 35.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest

74.9% (2023 est.)

other

0% (2023 est.)

Location

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

cyclones; tsunamis

Natural resources

NEGL

Terrain

volcanic origin; low hills

Age structure

0-14 years

19.8% (male 1,643/female 1,511)

15-64 years

67.5% (male 5,535/female 5,247)

65 years and over

12.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,023/female 1,005)

Birth rate

11.63 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.2% (2018 est.)

Death rate

6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

19.7 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

5.1 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

48.7 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

29 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Ethnic groups

Polynesian

Gross reproduction rate

0.84 (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) 58.9%, Futunian 30.1%, French (official) 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

84.2 years

male

78.2 years

total population

81.1 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

100% (2023 est.)

male

99.9% (2023 est.)

total population

99.8% (2023 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1,000 MATA-UTU (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

37.3 years

male

35.5 years

total

36.9 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

noun

Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders

Net migration rate

-3.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population

female

7,781

male

8,217

total

15,998 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.19% (2025 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 94.2% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 94.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 5.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 5.8% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.02 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.71 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

0% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

3 administrative precincts (circonscriptions, singular - circonscription) Alo, Sigave, Uvea

Capital

geographic coordinates

13 57 S, 171 56 W

name

Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

time difference

UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see France

Constitution

amendment process

French constitution amendment procedures apply

history

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Country name

conventional long form

Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands

conventional short form

Wallis and Futuna

etymology

Wallis Island is named after British Captain Samuel WALLIS, who visited in 1767; Futuna is a local name, and the meaning is unclear

former

Hoorn Islands is the former name of the Futuna Islands

local long form

Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna

local short form

Wallis et Futuna

Dependency status

overseas collectivity of France

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas collectivity of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of the Territory appointed by the administrator superior on the advice of the Territorial Assembly

chief of state

President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Administrator Superior Jean-François de MANHEULLE (since 17 November 2025)

election/appointment process

French president elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); administrator superior appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly elected by assembly members

head of government

President of the Territorial Assembly Munipoese MULI'AKA'AKA (since 20 March 2022)

Flag

description: unofficial local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; a small flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper-left corner meaning: the triangles represent the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator history: the design is derived from a red flag with a white cross that French missionaries introduced in the 19th century

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Assembly); overseas collectivity of France

Independence

none (overseas collectivity of France)

International organization participation

PIF (observer), SPC, UPU

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Court of Assizes or Cour d'Assizes (consists of 1 judge; court hears primarily serious criminal cases)

judge selection and term of office

NA

subordinate courts

courts of first instance; labor court

Legal system

French civil law

Legislative branch

electoral system

proportional representation

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Territorial Assembly (Assemblée territoriale)

most recent election date

3/20/2022

number of seats

20 (directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Ofa mo'oni ki tou fenua (2); Mauli fetokoniaki (2); 1 seat each from 16 other lists

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

National anthem(s)

history

official anthem, as a French territory

lyrics/music

Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle

title

"La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)

National color(s)

red, white

National holiday

Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)

National symbol(s)

red saltire (Saint Andrew's Cross) on a white square on a red field

Political parties

Left Radical Party or PRG (formerly Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG) Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) Rally for Wallis and Futuna-The Republicans (Rassemblement pour Wallis and Futuna) or RPWF-LR  Socialist Party or PS Taumu'a Lelei  Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

coconuts, breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish

Budget

expenditures

$34.18 million (2015 est.)

revenues

$32.54 million (2015 est.)

Economic overview

lower-middle-income, agrarian French dependency economy; heavily reliant on French subsidies; licenses fishing rights to Japan and South Korea; major remittances from New Caledonia; aging workforce; import-dependent; deforestation-fueled fragility

Exchange rates

Currency

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

104.711 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

100.88 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

113.474 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

110.347 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

110.31 (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

seats (2023)

Exports - partners

Denmark 35%, Sweden 14%, Netherlands 14%, Pakistan 9%, Poland 7% (2023)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, prepared meat, poultry, iron pipe fittings, animal food (2023)

Imports - partners

Fiji 35%, France 32%, NZ 11%, Australia 6%, China 4% (2023)

Industries

copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Broadcast media

publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which broadcasts to France's overseas departments, collectivities, and territories, is carried on the RFO Wallis and Fortuna TV and radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.wf

Internet users

percent of population

45.8% (2021 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

26 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

3,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

107 (2023)

total subscriptions

12,200 (2023)

Airports

2 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 1

total

1 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Mata-Utu

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

0

small

0

total ports

1 (2024)

very small

1

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Environmental issues

deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) due to wood as the main fuel source; soil erosion; lack of natural freshwater resources; lack of soil fertility on the islands of Uvea and Futuna