Pacific Ocean (2008) | French Polynesia (2004) | |
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: 27.5% (male 37,372; female 35,818)
15-64 years: 66.9% (male 92,594; female 85,455) 65 years and over: 5.7% (male 7,616; female 7,484) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee |
Airports | - | 49 (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: 23 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: 155.557 million sq km
note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies |
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
Area - comparative | about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut |
Background | The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south. | 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 | - | 17.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) |
Capital | - | Papeete |
Climate | planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December | tropical, but moderate |
Coastline | 135,663 km | 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 | - | 4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | - | NA (2000 est.) |
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 | some maritime disputes (see littoral states) | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $367 million (1997) |
Economy - overview | The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new drillings. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 398.3 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 428.3 million kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m
highest point: sea level 0 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
Environment - current issues | endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea | NA |
Ethnic groups | - | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
Exchange rates | - | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 105.73 (2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999)
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 Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 9 October 2004); 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 |
Exports | - | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat |
Exports - partners | - | France 66.3%, Japan 16.1%, US 9.1% (2003) |
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 - $4.58 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture: 6%
industry: 18% services: 76% (1997) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | 4% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 0 00 N, 160 00 W | 15 00 S, 140 00 W |
Geography - note | the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean | 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 |
Heliports | - | 1 (2003 est.) |
Highways | - | total: 2,590 km
paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | - | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment |
Imports - partners | - | France 59.9%, Australia 11.9%, New Zealand 6%, US 6% (2003) |
Independence | - | none (overseas territory of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA |
Industries | - | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 8.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 1.5% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | - | FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), UPU, WMO |
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: 0.82%
permanent crops: 5.46% other: 93.72% (2001) |
Languages | - | French (official), Tahitian (official) |
Legal system | - | based on French system |
Legislative branch | - | unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for May 2004 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held NA May 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy 27, New Star 1, This Country is Yours 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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 75.67 years
male: 73.29 years female: 78.18 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
Location | body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
Map references | Political Map of the World | Oceania |
Maritime claims | - | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWT
by type: cargo 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | - | no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force |
National holiday | - | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | - | noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
Natural hazards | surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December | occasional cyclonic storms in January |
Natural resources | oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
Net migration rate | - | 2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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) [Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa) [Nicle BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | - | 266,339 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | 1.57% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Religions | - | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 52,500 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 90,000 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
Total fertility rate | - | 2.09 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Transportation - note | Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state) | - |
Unemployment rate | - | 11.8% (1994) |