|
Introduction - French Polynesia
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
Location:
Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about half way between South
America and Australia
Geographic coordinates:
15 00 S, 140 00 W
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
country comparison to the world: 174
land: 3,827 sq km
water: 340 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
2,525 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Current Weather
tropical, but moderate
Terrain:
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources:
timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 0.75%
permanent crops: 5.5%
other: 93.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues:
NA
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
People - French Polynesia
Population:
291,000 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.8% (male 35,457/female 33,923)
15-64 years: 69.2% (male 104,246/female 97,019)
65 years and over: 7% (male 10,272/female 10,083) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 29.5 years
male: 29.8 years
female: 29.2 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.355% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
Birth rate:
15.67 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Death rate:
4.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Net migration rate:
2.69 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Urbanization:
urban population: 52% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.41 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 167
male: 8.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.91 years
country comparison to the world: 63
male: 74.44 years
female: 79.5 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.89 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian
Ethnic groups:
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Religions:
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%
Languages:
French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%,
other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)
Education expenditures:
NA
Government - French Polynesia
Country name:
conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise
local short form: Polynesie Francaise
former: French Colony of Oceania
Dependency status:
overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Papeete
geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W
time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
Independence:
none (overseas lands of France)
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the laws of France where applicable apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by
High Commissioner of the Republic Adolphe COLRAT (since 7 July 2008)
head of government: President of French Polynesia Gaston Tong SANG (since 24
November 2009); President of the Territorial Assembly Eduoard FRITCH (since 12
February 2009)
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 )
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)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats; members
elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held on 27 January 2008 (first round) and 10 February 2008
(second round) (next to be held in 2013)
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
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
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]; Our Home alliance; Popular Rally (Tahoeraa
Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
FZ, ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas lands of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas lands of France)
Flag description:
two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; 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: 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
Economy - French Polynesia
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$4.718 billion (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
$4.58 billion (2003 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$6.1 billion (2004)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.7% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 67
5.1% (2002)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$18,000 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
$17,500 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 3.5%
industry: 20.4%
services: 76.1% (2005)
Labor force:
116,000 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 180
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 13%
industry: 19%
services: 68% (2002)
Unemployment rate:
11.7% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 127
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $865 million
expenditures: $644.1 million (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.1% (2007)
country comparison to the world: 47
1.1% (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy
products
Industries:
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity - production:
650 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Electricity - consumption:
604.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Oil - consumption:
7,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Oil - imports:
6,701 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
Exports:
$211 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
Exports - commodities:
cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat
Imports:
$1.706 billion (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Imports - commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
Debt - external:
$NA
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
Communications - French Polynesia
Telephones - main lines in use:
54,600 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 160
Telephones - mobile cellular:
187,100 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 173
Telephone system:
general assessment: NA
domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular density is roughly 85 per 100
persons
international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific
Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
7 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
.pf
Internet hosts:
13,796 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 113
Internet users:
90,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 156
Transportation - French Polynesia
Airports:
53 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 88
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 47
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 34
under 914 m: 7 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 2,590 km
country comparison to the world: 169
paved: 1,735 km
unpaved: 855 km (1999)
Merchant marine:
total: 15
country comparison to the world: 104
by type: cargo 6, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll
on/roll off 1
registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Papeete
Military - French Polynesia
Military branches:
no regular military forces
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:
male: 2,592
female: 2,481 (2010 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues - French Polynesia
Disputes - international:
none
|
