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 |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
29.74% (male 38,473; female 36,925) 15-64 years: 65.17% (male 86,128; female 79,076) 65 years and over: 5.09% (male 6,481; female 6,423) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products |
Airports | 45 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
32 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
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 |
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. |
Birth rate | 18.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$1 billion expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) |
Capital | Papeete |
Climate | tropical, but moderate |
Coastline | 2,525 km |
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 |
Currency | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) |
Death rate | 4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA |
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) |
Disputes - international | none |
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 economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefited from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs. |
Electricity - consumption | 399.9 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 430 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
51.16% hydro: 48.84% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
Environment - current issues | NA |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
Exchange rates | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since NA 1994) head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996) 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 seven-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 |
Exports | 0 kWh (1999) |
Exports | $205 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Exports - commodities | cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) |
Exports - partners | Japan 62%, US 21% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year |
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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $2.6 billion (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
4% industry: 18% services: 78% (1997) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $10,800 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.5% (1997 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 00 S, 140 00 W |
Geography - note | includes five archipelagoes; 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 |
Highways | total:
792 km paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | 0 kWh (1999) |
Imports | $749 million (f.o.b., 1999) |
Imports - commodities | fuels, foodstuffs, equipment |
Imports - partners | France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% |
Industries | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts |
Infant mortality rate | 9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (1994) |
International organization participation | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km |
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 |
Labor force | 70,000 (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) |
Land boundaries | 0 km |
Land use | arable land:
1% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 31% other: 57% (1993 est.) |
Languages | French (official), Tahitian (official) |
Legal system | based on French system |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UC 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May - 1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
75.01 years male: 72.67 years female: 77.46 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
Location | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
Map references | Oceania |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun:
French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian |
Natural hazards | occasional cyclonic storms in January |
Natural resources | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 3.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Centrist Union or UC [leader NA]; 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 (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA |
Population | 253,506 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.72% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 128,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km |
Religions | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 52,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 5,427 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
Total fertility rate | 2.23 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 15% (1992 est.) |
Waterways | none |