Wallis and Futuna

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet country code

.wf

Internet users

NA

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

Telephones - main lines in use

1,125 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular

0 (1994)

Television broadcast stations

2 (2000)

Agriculture - products

breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats

Budget

revenues: $20 million expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Currency

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

Currency code

XPF

Debt - external

$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

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% other: 0% nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 126.41 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998)

Exports

$250,000 f.o.b. (1999)

Exports - commodities

copra, chemicals, construction materials

Exports - partners

Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $30 million (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$300,000 f.o.b. (1999)

Imports - commodities

chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods

Imports - partners

France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%

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% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

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

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 sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 5% permanent crops: 20% other: 75% (1998 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 at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis

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 short form: Wallis et Futuna local long form: Territoire des Iles 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 Christian JOB (since 6 August 2002) 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 note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since NA 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

Flag description

a large white modified Maltese cross - shifted a little off center toward the fly and slightly downward - 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 11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2007) 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 (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and 18th centuries, 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% (2003 est.)

Birth rate

NA births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

NA deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

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

French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years (2003 est.)

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 (2003 est.)

Population

15,734 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

NA (2003 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Total fertility rate

NA children born/woman (2003 est.)

Disputes - international

none

Airports

2 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)

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: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 85,572 GRT/9,004 DWT ships by type: passenger 4 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 3, US 1 (2002 est.)

Ports and harbors

Leava, Mata-Utu

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none