French Polynesia (2002) | Turks and Caicos Islands (2004) | |
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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 |
none (overseas territory of the UK) |
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: 32.5% (male 3,301; female 3,184)
15-64 years: 63.8% (male 6,696; female 6,036) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 327; female 412) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products | corn, beans, cassava (tapioca), citrus fruits; fish |
Airports | 45 (2001) | 8 (2003 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: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
total: 430 sq km
land: 430 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut | 2.5 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 islands were part of the UK's Jamaican colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands remain a British overseas territory. |
Birth rate | 18.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 22.85 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) (1996) |
revenues: $47 million
expenditures: $33.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997-98 est.) |
Capital | Papeete | Grand Turk (Cockburn Town) |
Climate | tropical, but moderate | tropical; marine; moderated by trade winds; sunny and relatively dry |
Coastline | 2,525 km | 389 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | introduced 30 August 1976; suspended in 1986; restored and revised 5 March 1988 |
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: Turks and Caicos Islands |
Currency | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 | US dollar (USD) |
Death rate | 4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.26 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | NA (2002 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France since 1946 | overseas territory of the UK |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Disputes - international | none | have received Haitians fleeing economic collapse and civil unrest |
Economic aid - recipient | $367 million (1997) (1997) | $4.1 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. 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 Turks and Caicos economy is based on tourism, fishing, and offshore financial services. Most capital goods and food for domestic consumption are imported. The US is the leading source of tourists, accounting for more than half of the 93,000 visitors in the late 1990s. Major sources of government revenue include fees from offshore financial activities and customs receipts. Tourism fell by 6% in 2002. |
Electricity - consumption | 379.44 million kWh (2000) | 4.65 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 408 million kWh (2000) | 5 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 54%
hydro: 46% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | limited natural fresh water resources, private cisterns collect rainwater |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% | black 90%, mixed, European, or North American 10% |
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 | the US dollar is used |
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 1953), represented by Governor Jim POSTON (since 16 December 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Michael Eugene MISICK (since 15 August 2003) cabinet: Executive Council consists of three ex officio members and five appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is appointed chief minister by the governor |
Exports | $205 million f.o.b. (1999) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) | lobster, dried and fresh conch, conch shells |
Exports - partners | Japan 62%, US 21% (1999) | US, UK |
Fiscal year | calendar 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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the colonial shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the shield is yellow and contains a conch shell, lobster, and cactus |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $231 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 6%
industry: 18% services: 76% (1997) |
agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $9,600 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2001 est.) | 4.9% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 00 S, 140 00 W | 21 45 N, 71 35 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 | about 40 islands (eight inhabited) |
Highways | total: 792 km
paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000) |
total: 121 km
paved: 24 km unpaved: 97 km (2000) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | $749 million f.o.b. (1999) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | fuels, foodstuffs, equipment | food and beverages, tobacco, clothing, manufactures, construction materials |
Imports - partners | France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999) | US, UK |
Independence | none (overseas territory of France) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts | tourism, offshore financial services |
Infant mortality rate | 8.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 16.27 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 18.79 deaths/1,000 live births female: 13.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (1994) | 4% (1995) |
International organization participation | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO | Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 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 | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 70,000 (1996) (1996) | 4,848 (1990 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) (1997) | about 33% in government and 20% in agriculture and fishing; significant numbers in tourism, financial, and other services |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 2.33%
permanent crops: 0% other: 97.67% (2001) |
Languages | French (official), Tahitian (official) | English (official) |
Legal system | based on French system | based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas |
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 |
unicameral Legislative Council (19 seats of which 13 are popularly elected; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 24 April 2003 (next to be held in 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PDM 53.8%, PNP 46.2%; seats by party - PDM 7, PNP 6; note - in by-elections held 7 August 2003, the PNP gained two seats for a majority of 8 seats; PDM now has 5 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.23 years
male: 72.88 years female: 77.69 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 74.25 years
male: 72.05 years female: 76.57 years (2004 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: 98% male: 99% female: 98% (1970 est.) |
Location | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia | Caribbean, two island groups in the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of The Bahamas, north of Haiti |
Map references | Oceania | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 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 |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie | - |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Constitution Day, 30 August (1976) |
Nationality | noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
noun: none
adjective: none |
Natural hazards | occasional cyclonic storms in January | frequent hurricanes |
Natural resources | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower | spiny lobster, conch |
Net migration rate | 3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 11.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
People - note | - | destination and transit point for illegal Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas, and US |
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] | People's Democratic Movement or PDM [Derek H. TAYLOR]; Progressive National Party or PNP [Michael Eugene MISICK]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Wendal SWANN] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 257,847 (July 2002 est.) | 19,956 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 1.67% (2002 est.) | 3.03% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa | Grand Turk, Providenciales |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 2, FM 7, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Radios | 128,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% | Baptist 40%, Methodist 16%, Anglican 18%, Church of God 12%, other 14% (1990) |
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: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 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: fair cable and radiotelephone services
domestic: NA international: country code - 1-649; 2 submarine cables; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 52,000 (1997) | 5,700 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 5,427 (1997) | 1,700 (1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) | 0 (broadcasts from The Bahamas are received; 2 cable television networks) (2004) |
Terrain | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs | low, flat limestone; extensive marshes and mangrove swamps |
Total fertility rate | 2.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 3.11 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 10% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |