French Polynesia (2002) | Saint Lucia (2001) | |
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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 |
11 quarters; Anse-la-Raye, Castries, Choiseul, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Islet, Laborie, Micoud, Praslin, Soufriere, Vieux Fort |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 29% (male 38,184; female 36,631)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 88,250; female 81,165) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 6,850; female 6,767) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years:
32.13% (male 25,951; female 24,874) 15-64 years: 62.59% (male 48,568; female 50,430) 65 years and over: 5.28% (male 3,120; female 5,235) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products | bananas, coconuts, vegetables, citrus, root crops, cocoa |
Airports | 45 (2001) | 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 8 (2002) |
total:
2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
- |
Area | total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
total:
620 sq km land: 610 sq km water: 10 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut | 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries, was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and independence in 1979. |
Birth rate | 18.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 21.8 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) (1996) |
revenues:
$141.2 million expenditures: $146.7 million, including capital expenditures of $25.1 million (FY97/98 est.) |
Capital | Papeete | Castries |
Climate | tropical, but moderate | tropical, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season from January to April, rainy season from May to August |
Coastline | 2,525 km | 158 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | 22 February 1979 |
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 |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Saint Lucia |
Currency | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
Death rate | 4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 5.36 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $131.6 million (1998) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France since 1946 | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | the US does not have an embassy in Saint Lucia; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Lucia |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Sonia Merlyn JOHNNY chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6792 through 6795 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6728 consulate(s) general: Miami and New York |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $367 million (1997) (1997) | $51.8 million (1995) |
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. 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 substantially benefits from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. | The recent changes in the EU import preference regime and the increased competition from Latin American bananas have made economic diversification increasingly important in Saint Lucia. Improvement in the construction sector and growth of the tourism industry helped expand GDP in 1998-99. The agriculture sector registered its fifth year of decline in 1997 primarily because of a severe decline in banana production. The manufacturing sector is the most diverse in the Eastern Caribbean, and the government is beginning to develop regulations for the small offshore financial sector. |
Electricity - consumption | 379.44 million kWh (2000) | 102.3 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 408 million kWh (2000) | 110 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 54%
hydro: 46% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Gimie 950 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | deforestation; soil erosion, particularly in the northern region |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% | black 90%, mixed 6%, East Indian 3%, white 1% |
Exchange rates | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) |
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 4 April 1991); 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 |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Dr. Perlette LOUISY (since September 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Kenneth ANTHONY (since 24 May 1997) and Deputy Prime Minister Mario MICHEL (since 24 May 1997) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general |
Exports | $205 million f.o.b. (1999) | $68.3 million (2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) | bananas 41%, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, coconut oil |
Exports - partners | Japan 62%, US 21% (1999) | UK 50%, US 24%, Caricom countries 16% (1995) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | blue, with a gold isosceles triangle below a black arrowhead; the upper edges of the arrowhead have a white border |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $700 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 6%
industry: 18% services: 76% (1997) |
agriculture:
10.7% industry: 32.3% services: 57% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4,500 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2001 est.) | 0.5% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 00 S, 140 00 W | 13 53 N, 60 68 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 | - |
Highways | total: 792 km
paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000) |
total:
1,210 km paved: 63 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transit point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $749 million f.o.b. (1999) | $319.4 million (2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | fuels, foodstuffs, equipment | food 23%, manufactured goods 21%, machinery and transportation equipment 19%, chemicals, fuels |
Imports - partners | France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999) | US 36%, Caricom countries 22%, UK 11%, Japan 5%, Canada 4% (1995) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of France) | 22 February 1979 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | -8.9% (1997 est.) |
Industries | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts | clothing, assembly of electronic components, beverages, corrugated cardboard boxes, tourism, lime processing, coconut processing |
Infant mortality rate | 8.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | 15.22 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (1994) | 2.5% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO | ACCT (associate), ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, NAM, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 15 (2000) |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 10 sq km (1993 est.) |
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 | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (jurisdiction extends to Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) |
Labor force | 70,000 (1996) (1996) | 43,800 |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) (1997) | agriculture 43.4%, services 38.9%, industry and commerce 17.7% (1983 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
8% permanent crops: 21% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 13% other: 53% (1993 est.) |
Languages | French (official), Tahitian (official) | English (official), French patois |
Legal system | based on French system | based on English common law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 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 |
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (11 seats; six members appointed on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and two after consultation with religious, economic, and social groups) and the House of Assembly (17 seats; members are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Assembly - last held 23 May 1997 (next to be held NA 2002) election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - SLP 16, UWP 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.23 years
male: 72.88 years female: 77.69 years (2002 est.) |
total population:
72.57 years male: 69 years female: 76.39 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 67% male: 65% female: 69% (1980 est.) |
Location | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia | Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and North Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago |
Map references | Oceania | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin 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 (2002 est.) |
none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie | Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $5 million (FY91/92) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 2% (FY91/92) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Independence Day, 22 February (1979) |
Nationality | noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
noun:
Saint Lucian(s) adjective: Saint Lucian |
Natural hazards | occasional cyclonic storms in January | hurricanes and volcanic activity |
Natural resources | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower | forests, sandy beaches, minerals (pumice), mineral springs, geothermal potential |
Net migration rate | 3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -4.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
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) [Boris LEONTIEFF] | National Freedom Party or NFP [Martinus FRANCOIS]; Saint Lucia Labor Party or SLP [Kenneth ANTHONY]; United Workers Party or UWP [Dr. Morella JOSEPH] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 257,847 (July 2002 est.) | 158,178 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.67% (2002 est.) | 1.23% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa | Castries, Vieux Fort |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 2, FM 7 (plus 3 repeaters), shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 128,000 (1997) | 111,000 (1997) |
Railways | 0 km | 0 km |
Religions | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% | Roman Catholic 90%, Protestant 7%, Anglican 3% |
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 (2002 est.) |
at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.6 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment:
adequate system domestic: system is automatically switched international: direct microwave radio relay link with Martinique and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; tropospheric scatter to Barbados; international calls beyond these countries are carried by Intelsat from Martinique |
Telephones - main lines in use | 52,000 (1997) | 37,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 5,427 (1997) | 1,600 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) | 3 (of which two are commercial stations and one is a community antenna television or CATV channel) (1997) |
Terrain | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs | volcanic and mountainous with some broad, fertile valleys |
Total fertility rate | 2.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.38 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 15% (1996 est.) |
Waterways | none | none |