Wallis and Futuna

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

domestic: NA international: NA

Telephones

340 (1985 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1997)

Televisions

NA

Agriculture--products

breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats

Budget

revenues: $20 million expenditures: $20 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Currency

1 Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Debt--external

$NA

Economic aid--recipient

$1 million (1995)

Economy--overview

The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of the labor force earning its livelihood from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia. Wallis and Futuna imports food--particularly flour, sugar, rice, and beef--fuel, clothing, machinery, and transport equipment, but its exports are negligible, consisting mostly of breadfruit, yams, and taro root.

Electricity--consumption

NA kWh

Electricity--exports

NA kWh

Electricity--imports

NA kWh

Electricity--production

NA kWh

Electricity--production by source

fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA%

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1--102.72 (January 1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994); note--linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Exports

$370,000 (f.o.b., 1995 est.)

Exports--commodities

copra, handicrafts

Exports--partners

NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity--$28.7 million (1995 est.)

GDP--composition by sector

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

GDP--per capita

purchasing power parity?$2,000 (1995 est.)

GDP--real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$13.5 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)

Imports--commodities

foodstuffs, manufactured goods, transportation equipment, fuel, clothing

Imports--partners

France, Australia, New Zealand

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

Labor force

NA

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 274 sq km land: 274 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

Area--comparative

1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C

Coastline

129 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

Environment--current issues

deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of natural fresh water resources

Environment--international agreements

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates

13 18 S, 176 12 W

Geography--note

both island groups have fringing reefs

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 5% permanent crops: 20% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 75% (1993 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

NA

Natural resources

NEGL

Terrain

volcanic origin; low hills

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three kingdoms named Wallis, Sigave, Alo

Capital

Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Country name

conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna local short form: Wallis et Futuna

Data code

WF

Dependency status

overseas territory of France

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 Administrator Claude PIERRET (since NA) head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Victor BRIAL (since 1 June 1997) cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high administrator 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 are elected by the members of the assembly

Flag description

a large white modified Maltese cross centered on a red background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of France)

International organization participation

FZ, SPC

Judicial branch

none; justice generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Legal system

French legal system

Legislative branch

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 16 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--NA note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate--elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by NA September 2007); results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats--RPR 1; French National Assembly--elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held by NA March 2002); results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats--RPR 1

Political parties and leaders

Rally for the Republic or RPR

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military--note

defense is the responsibility of France

Age structure

0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%

Birth rate

22.34 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate

4.66 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups

Polynesian

Infant mortality rate

NA deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 50% male: 50% female: 50% (1969 est.)

Nationality

noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Net migration rate

-7.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population

15,129 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate

1.04% (1999 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 100%

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman

Disputes--international

none

Airports

2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Highways

total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km) paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea) unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)

Merchant marine

total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,160 GRT/41,656 DWT ships by type: oil tanker 1, passenger 1 (1998 est.)

Ports and harbors

Leava, Mata-Utu

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none