French Polynesia (2008) | Luxembourg (2001) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent | 3 districts; Diekirch, Grevenmacher, Luxembourg |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 36,223/female 34,677)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 98,784/female 91,585) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 8,933/female 8,761) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years:
18.91% (male 43,051; female 40,711) 15-64 years: 67.03% (male 149,781; female 147,165) 65 years and over: 14.06% (male 24,921; female 37,343) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products | barley, oats, potatoes, wheat, fruits, wine grapes; livestock products |
Airports | 54 (2007) | 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: 27 under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 8 (2007) |
total:
1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
total:
2,586 sq km land: 2,586 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut | slightly smaller than Rhode Island |
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. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded. | Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815 and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area. |
Birth rate | 16.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 12.25 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $865 million
expenditures: $644.1 million (1999) |
revenues:
$5.6 billion expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
Capital | name: Papeete
geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Luxembourg |
Climate | tropical, but moderate | modified continental with mild winters, cool summers |
Coastline | 2,525 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | 17 October 1868, occasional revisions |
Country name | conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania |
conventional long form:
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg conventional short form: Luxembourg local long form: Grand Duche de Luxembourg local short form: Luxembourg |
Currency | - | Luxembourg franc (LUF); euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Luxembourg at a fixed rate of 40.3399 Luxembourg francs per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002 |
Death rate | 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 8.88 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004 | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas lands of France) | chief of mission:
Ambassador James C. HORMEL embassy: 22 Boulevard Emmanuel-Servais, L-2535 Luxembourg City mailing address: American Embassy Luxembourg, Unit 1410, APO AE 09126-1410 (official mail); American Embassy Luxembourg, PSC 9, Box 9500, APO AE 09123 (personal mail) telephone: [352] 46 01 23 FAX: [352] 46 14 01 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas lands of France) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Arlette CONZEMIUS chancery: 2200 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 265-4171 FAX: [1] (202) 328-8270 consulate(s) general: New York and San Francisco |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $160 million (1999) |
Economic aid - recipient | $579.8 million (2004) | - |
Economy - overview | Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural 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 benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. | The stable, high-income economy features solid growth, low inflation, and low unemployment. The industrial sector, initially dominated by steel, has become increasingly diversified to include chemicals, rubber, and other products. Growth in the financial sector has more than compensated for the decline in steel. Services, especially banking, account for a substantial proportion of the economy. Agriculture is based on small family-owned farms. The economy depends on foreign and trans-border workers for 30% of its labor force. Luxembourg has a custom union with Belgium and the Netherlands, and, as a member of the EU, enjoys the advantages of the open European market. It joined with 10 other EU members to launch the euro on 1 January 1999. |
Electricity - consumption | 429.7 million kWh (2005) | 6.149 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 655 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 6.201 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 462 million kWh (2005) | 648 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
36.88% hydro: 53.09% nuclear: 0% other: 10.03% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
lowest point:
Moselle River 133 m highest point: Buurgplaatz 559 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | air and water pollution in urban areas, soil pollution of farmland |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Environmental Modification |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% | Celtic base (with French and German blend), Portuguese, Italian, Slavs (from Montenegro, Albania, and Kososvo) and European (guest and resident workers) |
Exchange rates | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - NA (2007), 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Luxembourg francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.299 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996); note - the Luxembourg franc is at par with the Belgian franc, which circulates freely in Luxembourg |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Anne BOQUET (since September 2005)
head of government: President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 13 September 2007); note - President TEMARU resigned on 27 January 2008; President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004) 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 for five-year terms (no term limits) |
chief of state:
Grand Duke HENRI (since 7 October 2000); Heir Apparent Prince GUILLAUME (son of the monarch, born 11 November 1981); head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Claude JUNCKER (since 1 January 1995) and Vice Prime Minister Lydie POLFER (since 7 August 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers recommended by the prime minister and appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister and vice prime minister appointed by the monarch, following popular election to the Chamber of Deputies; they are responsible to the Chamber of Deputies note: government coalition - CSV and DP |
Exports | 0 bbl/day (2004) | $7.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
Exports - commodities | cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat | machinery and equipment, steel products, chemicals, rubber products, glass |
Exports - partners | France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2006) | EU 75% (Germany 25%, France 21%, Belgium 13%, UK 8%, Italy 6%, Netherlands 5%), US 4% (1999) |
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 a blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and a 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 | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and light blue; similar to the flag of the Netherlands, which uses a darker blue and is shorter; design was based on the flag of France |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $15.9 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 19% services: 76.9% (2005) |
agriculture:
1% industry: 30% services: 69% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $36,400 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5.1% (2002) | 5.7% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 15 00 S, 140 00 W | 49 45 N, 6 10 E |
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 | landlocked |
Government - note | under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister | - |
Heliports | 1 (2007) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Highways | - | total:
5,166 km paved: 5,166 km (including 118 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Imports | 5,678 bbl/day (2004) | $10 billion (c.i.f., 2000) |
Imports - commodities | fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment | minerals, metals, foodstuffs, quality consumer goods |
Imports - partners | France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2006) | EU 81% (Belgium 35%, Germany 26%, France 12%, Netherlands 4%), US 9% (1999) |
Independence | none (overseas lands of France) | 1839 (from the Netherlands) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 7.8% (2000 est.) |
Industries | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates | banking, iron and steel, food processing, chemicals, metal products, engineering, tires, glass, aluminum |
Infant mortality rate | total: 7.84 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
4.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.1% (2006 est.) | 7.8% (2000 est.) |
International organization participation | FZ, ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO | ACCT, Australia Group, Benelux, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 8 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 10 sq km (2003) | 10 sq km (including Belgium) (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 | judicial courts and tribunals (3 Justices of the Peace, 2 district courts, and 1 Supreme Court of Appeals); administrative courts and tribunals (State Prosecutor's Office, administrative courts and tribunals, and the Constitutional Court); judges for all courts are appointed for life by the monarch |
Labor force | 65,930 (December 2005) | 248,000 (of whom 70,200 are foreign cross-border workers primarily from France, Belgium, and Germany) (2000) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 13%
industry: 19% services: 68% (2002) |
services 83.2%, industry 14.3%, agriculture 2.5% (1998 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
356 km border countries: Belgium 148 km, France 73 km, Germany 135 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.75%
permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005) |
arable land:
24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 35% other: 20% |
Languages | French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census) | Luxembourgish (national language), German (administrative language), French (administrative language) |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 January 2008 (first round) and 10 February 2008 (second round) (next to be held NA 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - Our Home alliance 45.2%, Union for Democracy alliance 37.2%, Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) 17.2% other 0.5%; seats by party - Our Home alliance 27, Union for Democracy alliance 20, Popular Rally 10 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held in 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 in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1 |
unicameral Chamber of Deputies or Chambre des Deputes (60 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held by NA June 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - CSV 29.79%, DP 21.58%, LSAP 23.75%, ADR 10.36%, Green Party 9.09%, the Left 3.77%; seats by party - CSV 19, DP 15, LSAP 13, ADR 6, Green Party 5, the Left 2 note: the Council of State or Conseil d'Etat, which has 21 members who are appointed and dismissed by the Grand Duke based on proposals from the government, the Chamber of Deputies, or the Council of State, is an advisory body whose views are considered by the Chamber of Deputies |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 76.31 years
male: 73.88 years female: 78.86 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
77.3 years male: 74.02 years female: 80.8 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 can read and write total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (2000 est.) |
Location | Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half of the way from South America to Australia | Western Europe, between France and Germany |
Map references | Oceania | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
none (landlocked) |
Merchant marine | total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWT
by type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2007) |
total:
50 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 988,450 GRT/1,313,498 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, chemical tanker 11, container 2, liquefied gas 18, passenger 4, petroleum tanker 6, roll on/roll off 7 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 4 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force | Army; note - the government abolished the Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $131 million (FY98/99) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1% (FY98/99) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
112,714 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
92,817 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 19 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
2,565 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | National Day (Birthday of Grand Duchess Charlotte) 23 June |
Nationality | noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
noun:
Luxembourger(s) adjective: Luxembourg |
Natural hazards | occasional cyclonic storms in January | NA |
Natural resources | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower | iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land |
Net migration rate | 2.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 9.26 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | petroleum products 48 km |
Political parties and leaders | Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; Our Home alliance; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU] | Action Committee for Democracy and Justice or ADR [Robert MEHLEN]; Christian Social People's Party or CSV (known also as Christian Social Party or PCS) [Erna HENNICOT-SCHOEPGES]; Democratic Party or DP [Lydie POLFER]; Green Party [Abbes JACOBY and Felix BRAS]; Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party or LSAP [Jean ASSELBORN]; Marxist and Reformed Communist Party DEI LENK (the Left) [no formal leadership]; other minor parties |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | ABBL (bankers' association); ALEBA (financial sector trade union); Centrale Paysanne (federation of agricultural producers); CEP (professional sector chamber); CGFP (trade union representing civil service); Chambre de Commerce (Chamber of Commerce); Chambre des Metiers (Chamber of Artisans); FEDIL (federation of industrialists); LCGP (center-right trade union); OGBL (center-left trade union) |
Population | 278,963 (July 2007 est.) | 442,972 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.461% (2007 est.) | 1.26% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Mertert |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 2, FM 9, shortwave 2 (1999) |
Radios | - | 285,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
274 km standard gauge: 274 km 1.435-m gauge (242 km electrified; 178 km double track) (1998) |
Religions | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% | the greatest preponderance of the population is Roman Catholic with a very few Protestants, Jews, and Muslims
note: 1979 legislation forbids the collection of religious statistics |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.045 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.079 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.066 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth:
1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment:
highly developed, completely automated and efficient system, mainly buried cables domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; buried cable international: 3 channels leased on TAT-6 coaxial submarine cable (Europe to North America) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 53,600 (2006) | 314,700 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 152,000 (2006) | 215,741 (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 7 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997) | 5 (1999) |
Terrain | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs | mostly gently rolling uplands with broad, shallow valleys; uplands to slightly mountainous in the north; steep slope down to Moselle flood plain in the southeast |
Total fertility rate | 1.98 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.7 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 11.7% (2005) | 2.7% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | - | 37 km (on the Moselle) |