Wallis and Futuna (2008) | Papua New Guinea (2005) | |
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 at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis | 20 provinces; Bougainville, Central, Chimbu, Eastern Highlands, East New Britain, East Sepik, Enga, Gulf, Madang, Manus, Milne Bay, Morobe, National Capital, New Ireland, Northern, Sandaun, Southern Highlands, Western, Western Highlands, West New Britain |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 38.1% (male 1,072,910/female 1,037,635)
15-64 years: 58.1% (male 1,662,166/female 1,559,685) 65 years and over: 3.8% (male 99,777/female 113,095) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish | coffee, cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, tea, rubber, sweet potatoes, fruit, vegetables, poultry, pork |
Airports | 2 (2007) | 571 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 550
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 62 under 914 m: 478 (2004 est.) |
Area | 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 |
total: 462,840 sq km
land: 452,860 sq km water: 9,980 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than California |
Background | The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but 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. | The eastern half of the island of New Guinea - second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north) and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World War I and continued to administer the combined areas until independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville ended in 1997 after claiming some 20,000 lives. |
Birth rate | NA | 29.95 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $29,730
expenditures: $31,330 (2004 est.) |
revenues: $1.174 billion
expenditures: $1.232 billion, including capital expenditures of $344 million (2004 est.) |
Capital | name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Port Moresby |
Climate | 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 | tropical; northwest monsoon (December to March), southeast monsoon (May to October); slight seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 129 km | 5,152 km |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | 16 September 1975 |
Country name | 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 |
conventional long form: Independent State of Papua New Guinea
conventional short form: Papua New Guinea former: Territory of Papua and New Guinea abbreviation: PNG |
Death rate | NA | 7.37 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | $3.67 million (2004) | $2.463 billion (2004 est.) |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. FITTS
embassy: Douglas Street, Port Moresby mailing address: 4240 Port Moresby PI, US Department of State, Washington DC 20521-4240 telephone: [675] 321-1455 FAX: [675] 321-3423 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | chief of mission: Ambassador Evan Jeremy PAKI
chancery: 1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 805, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 745-3680 FAX: [1] (202) 745-3679 |
Disputes - international | none | relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists |
Economic aid - recipient | assistance from France, $NA | $400 million (1999 est.) |
Economy - overview | The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of labor force earnings 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. | Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population. Mineral deposits, including oil, copper, and gold, account for 72% of export earnings. The economy has improved over the past two years, following a prolonged period of instability. Former Prime Minister Mekere MORAUTA had tried to restore integrity to state institutions, to stabilize the kina, restore stability to the national budget, to privatize public enterprises where appropriate, and to ensure ongoing peace on Bougainville. Australia annually supplies $240 million in aid, which accounts for 20% of the national budget. Challenges face Prime Minister Michael SOMARE, including gaining further investor confidence, continuing efforts to privatize government assets, maintaining the support of members of Parliament, and balancing relations with Australia, the former colonial ruler. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 1.561 billion kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | 1.679 billion kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Wilhelm 4,509 m |
Environment - current issues | 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 | rain forest subject to deforestation as a result of growing commercial demand for tropical timber; pollution from mining projects; severe drought |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to: Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian | Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian |
Exchange rates | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per U NA (2007), 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003) | kina per US dollar - 3.2225 (2004), 3.5635 (2003), 3.8952 (2002), 3.3887 (2001), 2.7822 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Administrator Richard DIDIER (since 19 July 2006)
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since January 2001) 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 five-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 |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by governor general Sir Paulius MATANE (since 29 June 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Sir Michael SOMARE (since 2 August 2002); deputy prime minister (vacant) cabinet: National Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the National Executive Council; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the governor general |
Exports | $47,450 f.o.b. (2004) | NA |
Exports - commodities | copra, chemicals, construction materials | oil, gold, copper ore, logs, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, crayfish, prawns |
Exports - partners | Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2006) | Australia 28%, Japan 5.8%, Germany 4.7%, China 4.6% (2004) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is the only official flag | divided diagonally from upper hoist-side corner; the upper triangle is red with a soaring yellow bird of paradise centered; the lower triangle is black with five, white, five-pointed stars of the Southern Cross constellation centered |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: 34.5%
industry: 34.7% services: 30.8% (2004 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $2,200 (2004 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 0.9% (2004 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 13 18 S, 176 12 W | 6 00 S, 147 00 E |
Geography - note | both island groups have fringing reefs | shares island of New Guinea with Indonesia; one of world's largest swamps along southwest coast |
Heliports | - | 2 (2004 est.) |
Highways | - | total: 19,600 km
paved: 686 km unpaved: 18,914 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 1.7%
highest 10%: 40.5% (1996) |
Imports | $61.17 million f.o.b. (2004) | NA |
Imports - commodities | chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, fuels, chemicals |
Imports - partners | France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2006) | Australia 46.4%, Singapore 21.6%, Japan 4.3%, New Zealand 4.2% (2004) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of France) | 16 September 1975 (from the Australian-administered UN trusteeship) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber | copra crushing, palm oil processing, plywood production, wood chip production; mining of gold, silver, and copper; crude oil production; construction, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: 51.45 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 55.63 deaths/1,000 live births female: 47.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.8% (2005) | 4.2% (2004 est.) |
International organization participation | SPC, UPU | ACP, APEC, ARF, AsDB, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
Irrigated land | NA | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | 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; a court of appeal is located in Noumea, New Caledonia | Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission) |
Labor force | 3,104 (2003) | 3.32 million (2004 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 80%
industry: 4% services: 16% (2001 est.) |
agriculture 85%, industry NA, services NA |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 820 km
border countries: Indonesia 820 km |
Land use | arable land: 7.14%
permanent crops: 35.71% other: 57.15% (2005) |
arable land: 0.46%
permanent crops: 1.44% other: 98.1% (2001) |
Languages | Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census) | Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 715 indigenous languages - many unrelated |
Legal system | the laws of France, where applicable, apply | based on English common law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held 22 April 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7 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 September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held by in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (UMP) 1 |
unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 15-29 June 2002 and April and May 2003; completed in May 2003 (voting in the Southern Highlands was not completed during the June 2002 election period); next to be held not later than June 2007 election results: percent of vote by party - National Alliance 18%, URP 13%, PDM 12%, PPP 8%, Pangu 6%, PAP 5%, PLP 4%, others 34%; seats by party - National Alliance 19, URP 14, PDM 13, PPP 8, PANGU 6, PAP 5, PLP 4, others 40; note - association with political parties is fluid (2003) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total population: 64.93 years
male: 62.76 years female: 67.21 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50% male: 50% female: 50% (1969 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 64.6% male: 71.1% female: 57.7% (2002) |
Location | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Oceania, group of islands including the eastern half of the island of New Guinea between the Coral Sea and the South Pacific Ocean, east of Indonesia |
Map references | Oceania | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines
territorial sea: 12 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 92,346 GRT/98,307 DWT
by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 6 foreign-owned: 8 (France 6, French Polynesia 2) (2007) |
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 47,586 GRT/60,934 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 17, chemical tanker 1, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: 8 (Singapore 2, United Kingdom 6) (2005) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | - | Papua New Guinea Defense Force (includes Maritime Operations Element, Air Operations Element) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $16.9 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 1.4% (FY02) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Independence Day, 16 September (1975) |
Nationality | noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander |
noun: Papua New Guinean(s)
adjective: Papua New Guinean |
Natural hazards | NA | active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis |
Natural resources | NEGL | gold, copper, silver, natural gas, timber, oil, fisheries |
Net migration rate | NA
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2007 est.) |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Pipelines | - | oil 264 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF | Christian Democratic Party [Dr. Banare BUN, party leader]; Melanesian Alliance Party or MAP [Sir Moi AVEL, party leader]; National Alliance Party or NA [Michael SOMARE, party leader; George MANOA, party president]; National Party [Melchior PEP, party leader]; Papua and Niugini Union Party or PANGU [Chris HAIVETA, party leader]; Papua New Guinea First Party [Cecilking DORUBA, party leader]; Papua New Guinea Labor Party [Bob DANAYA, party leader]; Papua New Guinea Party (was People's Democratic Movement or PDM) [Sir Mekere MORAUTA, party leader]; People's Action Party or PAP [Moses MALADINA, party leader]; People's Labor Party or PLP [Ekis ROPENU, party leader]; People's National Congress or PNC [Peter O'NEILL, party leader]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Andrew BAING, party leader]; Pipol First Party [Luther WENGE, party leader]; Rural People's Party [Peter NAMUS, party leader]; United Party [Bire KIMASOPA, party leader]; United Resources Party or URP [Tim NEVILLE, party leader] (2004) |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 16,309 (July 2007 est.) | 5,545,268 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 37% (2002 est.) |
Population growth rate | NA | 2.26% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Kimbe, Lae, Rabaul |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000) | AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 28 (1998) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% | Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs 34% |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.88 male(s)/female total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 681 |
general assessment: services are adequate; facilities provide radiotelephone and telegraph, coastal radio, aeronautical radio, and international radio communication services
domestic: mostly radiotelephone international: country code - 675; submarine cables to Australia and Guam; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean); international radio communication service |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,900 (2002) | 62,000 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1994) | 15,000 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (2000) | 3 (all in the Port Moresby area)
note: additional stations at Mt. Hagen, Goroka, Lae, and Rabaul are planned (2004) |
Terrain | volcanic origin; low hills | mostly mountains with coastal lowlands and rolling foothills |
Total fertility rate | NA | 3.96 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 15.2% (2003) | NA |
Waterways | - | 10,940 km (2003) |