French Polynesia

Internet country code

.pf

Internet hosts

5,123 (2003)

Internet users

35,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

52,500 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

90,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

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

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

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

Currency

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code

XPF

Debt - external

NA (2000 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$367 million (1997)

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.

Electricity - consumption

398.3 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

428.3 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 105.73 (2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999) note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Exports

$244 million f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat

Exports - partners

France 66.3%, Japan 16.1%, US 9.1% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$1.341 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Imports - partners

France 59.9%, Australia 11.9%, New Zealand 6%, US 6% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (2002 est.)

Labor force

70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Oil - consumption

4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

11.8% (1994)

Area

total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 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: 0.82% permanent crops: 5.46% other: 93.72% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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 long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: 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 9 October 2004); 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

FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, 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 (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy 27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 1 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

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) [Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa) [Nicle BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

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 military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.5% (male 37,372; female 35,818) 15-64 years: 66.9% (male 92,594; female 85,455) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 7,616; female 7,484) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

17.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 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

total: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

French (official), Tahitian (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 75.67 years male: 73.29 years female: 78.18 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

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

Median age

total: 27.1 years male: 27.4 years female: 26.7 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian

Net migration rate

2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

266,339 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

1.57% (2004 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: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.09 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

49 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)

Heliports

1 (2003 est.)

Highways

total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Merchant marine

total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWT by type: cargo 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2004 est.)

Ports and harbors

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa