French Polynesia

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet country code

.pf

Internet users

16,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

128,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

52,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

5,427 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

40,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $1 billion expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) (1996)

Currency

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003

Currency code

XPF

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$367 million (1997) (1997)

Economy - overview

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.

Electricity - consumption

379.44 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production

408 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 54% hydro: 46% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

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

Exports

$205 million f.o.b. (1999)

Exports - commodities

cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997)

Exports - partners

Japan 62%, US 21% (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 6% industry: 18% services: 76% (1997)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$749 million f.o.b. (1999)

Imports - commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, equipment

Imports - partners

France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (1994)

Labor force

70,000 (1996) (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) (1997)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) water: 507 sq km land: 3,660 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Climate

tropical, but moderate

Coastline

2,525 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Environment - current issues

NA

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

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 est.)

Location

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to 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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Papeete

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Country name

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

overseas territory of France since 1946

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Executive branch

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

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

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of France)

International organization participation

ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO

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

based on French system

Legislative branch

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

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Political parties and leaders

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

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Military branches

no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Age structure

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.)

Birth rate

18.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

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

8.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages

French (official), Tahitian (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.23 years female: 77.69 years (2002 est.) male: 72.88 years

Literacy

definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)

Nationality

noun: French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian

Net migration rate

3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population

257,847 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate

1.67% (2002 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: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

45 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways

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

total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

Highways

total: 792 km paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000)

Merchant marine

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.)

Ports and harbors

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none