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  French Polynesia  
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  Geography
  People
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In general, information available as of 1 January 2002
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2002.


This page was last updated on 19 March 2003


Map of French Polynesia

Legend: Definition Definition Field Listing Field Listing
   Introduction    French Polynesia
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
15 00 S, 140 00 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania
Area:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
water: 507 sq km
land: 3,660 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
2,525 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical, but moderate
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.01%
other: 92.35% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
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
Population:
Definition Field Listing
257,847 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 29% (male 38,184; female 36,631)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 88,250; female 81,165)
65 years and over: 5.3% (male 6,850; female 6,767) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.67% (2002 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing
18.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing
4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing
8.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing
total population: 75.23 years
female: 77.69 years (2002 est.)
male: 72.88 years
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
French (official), Tahitian (official)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)
   Government    French Polynesia
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local short form: Polynesie Francaise
local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
former: French Colony of Oceania
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
overseas territory of France since 1946
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Papeete
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
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
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on French system
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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)
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)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers
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
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
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)
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
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
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
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) [Boris LEONTIEFF]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence 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 substantially benefits from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing
purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing
purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 6%
industry: 18%
services: 76% (1997)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing
1.5% (1994)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing
70,000 (1996) (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) (1997)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) (1996)
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing
408 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source:
Definition Field Listing
fossil fuel: 54%
hydro: 46%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing
379.44 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products
Exports:
Definition Field Listing
$205 million f.o.b. (1999)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997)
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Japan 62%, US 21% (1999)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing
$749 million f.o.b. (1999)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing
$NA
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$367 million (1997) (1997)
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
XPF
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    French Polynesia
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing
52,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing
5,427 (1997)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios:
Definition Field Listing
128,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
Definition Field Listing
40,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.pf
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Definition Field Listing
2 (2000)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing
16,000 (2002)
   Transportation    French Polynesia
Railways:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Highways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 792 km
paved: 264 km
unpaved: 528 km (2000)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing
none
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
45 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
   Military    French Polynesia
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of France
   Transnational Issues    French Polynesia
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 19 March 2003


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