Wallis and Futuna

Internet country code

.wf

Internet hosts

1 (2006)

Internet users

900 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 681

Telephones - main lines in use

1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1994)

Television broadcast stations

2 (2000)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $29,730 expenditures: $31,330 (1998 est.)

Currency (code)

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Debt - external

$3.67 million $NA

Economic aid - recipient

assistance from France

Economy - overview

The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% labor force earnings 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.

Electricity - consumption

NA kWh

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

NA kWh

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001)

Exports

$47,450 f.o.b. (2004)

Exports - commodities

copra, chemicals, construction materials

Exports - partners

Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

NA

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$60 million (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$3,800 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$61.17 million f.o.b. (2004)

Imports - commodities

chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods

Imports - partners

France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.8% NA%

Labor force

NA 3,104

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 80% industry: 4% services: 16% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

5.6% of GDP

Unemployment rate

15.2% 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

Geographic coordinates

13 18 S, 176 12 W

Geography - note

both island groups have fringing reefs

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 7.14% permanent crops: 35.71% other: 57.15% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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 at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis

Capital

name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea) geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

4 October 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

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 Richard DIDIER (since 19 July 2006) head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since January 2001) 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 five-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

unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is the only official flag

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of France)

International organization participation

SPC, UPU

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 11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7 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 September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held by in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (UMP) 1

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Political parties and leaders

Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Age structure

0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population

Ethnic groups

Polynesian

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: NA male: NA female: NA

Languages

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

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

NA migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2006 est.)

Population

16,025 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

NA

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman

Disputes - international

none

Airports

2 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

Merchant marine

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 110,428 GRT/56,830 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 7 foreign-owned: 8 (France 5, French Polynesia 2, US 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals

Leava, Mata-Utu