Coral Sea Islands (2004) | Wallis and Futuna (2001) | |
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 named Alo, Sigave, Wallis |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years:
NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA% |
Agriculture - products | - | breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats |
Airports | - | 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important |
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 | NA | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. | 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. |
Birth rate | - | NA births/1,000 population |
Budget | - | revenues:
$20 million expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | - | Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea) |
Climate | tropical | 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 | 3,095 km | 129 km |
Constitution | - | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands |
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 |
Currency | - | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) |
Death rate | - | NA deaths/1,000 population |
Debt - external | - | $NA |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | overseas territory of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | assistance from France |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - production | - | NA kWh |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
NA% hydro: NA% nuclear: NA% other: NA% |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m |
Environment - current issues | no permanent fresh water resources | 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 |
Ethnic groups | - | Polynesian |
Exchange rates | - | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 1127.11 (January 2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
Executive branch | administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Christian DORS (since NA) head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Soane UHILA (since NA) 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 seven-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 |
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 |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | a large white modified Maltese cross centered 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 |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $30 million (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 18 00 S, 152 00 E | 13 18 S, 176 12 W |
Geography - note | important nesting area for birds and turtles | both island groups have fringing reefs |
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) |
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% |
Independence | - | none (overseas territory of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber |
Infant mortality rate | - | NA deaths/1,000 live births |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | NA% |
International organization participation | - | FZ, SPC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
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 |
Labor force | - | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | - | agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001) |
arable land:
5% permanent crops: 20% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 75% (1993 est.) |
Languages | - | French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) |
Legal system | the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply | 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 16 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 14, other 6 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 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held by NA March 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR 1 |
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.) |
Location | Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Oceania | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 48,853 GRT/43,128 DWT ships by type: passenger 3, petroleum tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors | defense is the responsibility of France |
National holiday | - | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | - | noun:
Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander |
Natural hazards | occasional tropical cyclones | NA |
Natural resources | NEGL | NEGL |
Net migration rate | - | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population |
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 |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2004 est.) |
15,435 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
Population growth rate | - | NA% |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Leava, Mata-Utu |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000) |
Radios | - | NA |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic 100% |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
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) |
Terrain | sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) | volcanic origin; low hills |
Total fertility rate | - | NA children born/woman |
Unemployment rate | - | NA% |
Waterways | - | none |