Wallis and Futuna

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

225 telephones local: NA intercity: NA international: NA

Television

broadcast stations: 0 televisions: NA

Note

defense is the responsibility of France WEST BANK Note--The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements ("the DOP"), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provides for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, final status negotiations are to begin no later than the beginning of the third year of the transitional period.

Agriculture

dominated by coconut production, with subsistence crops of yams, taro, bananas, and herds of pigs and goats

Budget

revenues: $2.7 million expenditures: $2.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1983 est.)

Currency

1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid

recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $118 million

Electricity

capacity: 1,200 kW production: 1 million kWh consumption per capita: 70 kWh (1990)

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 96.25 (January 1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.0 (1990); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Exports

$6.6 million (f.o.b., 1986) commodities: copra, handicrafts partners: NA

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

NA

Imports

$13.3 million (c.i.f., 1984) commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, transportation equipment, fuel, clothing partners: France, Australia, New Zealand

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Industries

copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

NA%

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $28.7 million (1994 est.)

National product per capita

$2,000 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

NA%

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 sugar and beef - fuel, clothing, machinery, and transport equipment, but its exports are negligible, consisting of copra and handicrafts.

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total area: 274 sq km land area: 274 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

Climate

tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October)

Coastline

129 km

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 natural hazards: NA international agreements: NA

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 5% permanent crops: 20% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 75%

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 resources

negligible

Note

both island groups have fringing reefs

Terrain

volcanic origin; low hills

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of France)

Capital

Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Digraph

WF

Diplomatic representation in US

none (overseas territory of France)

Executive branch

chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981) head of government: High Administrator Philippe LEGRIX (since NA); President of the Territorial Assembly Soane Mani UHILA (since NA March 1992) cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of 3 kings and 3 members appointed by the high administrator on advice of the Territorial Assembly note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers

Flag

the flag of France is used

French National Assembly

elections last held 21 and 28 March 1992 (next to be held by NA September 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) MRG 1; note - Wallis and Futuna elect one deputy

French Senate

elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held by NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) RPR 1

Independence

none (overseas territory of France)

Judicial branch

none; justice generally administered under French law by the chief 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

Member of

FZ, SPC

Names

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

Political parties and leaders

Rally for the Republic (RPR); Union Populaire Locale (UPL); Union Pour la Democratie Francaise (UDF); Lua kae tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche (MRG)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Territorial Assembly (Assemblee Territoriale)

elections last held 15 March 1987 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (20 total) RPR 7, UPL 5, UDF 4, UNF 4

Type

overseas territory of France

US diplomatic representation

none (overseas territory of France)

Age structure

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

Birth rate

25.06 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

5.14 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Polynesian

Infant mortality rate

24.92 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

NA by occupation: agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (est.)

Languages

French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 72.24 years male: 71.62 years female: 72.9 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1969) total population: 50% male: 50% female: 51%

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

-8.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

14,499 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

1.11% (1995 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic

Total fertility rate

3.11 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports

total: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Highways

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

Inland waterways

none

Merchant marine

total: 1 oil tanker (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 26,000 GRT/40,000 DWT

Ports

Leava, Mata-Utu

Railroads

0 km