Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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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.
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Location:
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Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
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Geographic coordinates:
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15 00 S, 140 00 W
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Map references:
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Oceania
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Area:
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total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km
water: 507 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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2,525 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical, but moderate
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Terrain:
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mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
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Natural resources:
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timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 0.82%
permanent crops: 5.46%
other: 93.72% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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occasional cyclonic storms in January
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Environment - current issues:
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NA
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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266,339 (July 2004 est.)
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Age structure:
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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.)
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Median age:
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total: 27.1 years
male: 27.4 years
female: 26.7 years (2004 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.57% (2004 est.)
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Birth rate:
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17.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Death rate:
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4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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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.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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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.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 75.67 years
male: 73.29 years
female: 78.18 years (2004 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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2.09 children born/woman (2004 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian
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Ethnic groups:
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Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
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Religions:
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Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%
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Languages:
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French (official), Tahitian (official)
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Literacy:
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definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)
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Country name:
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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
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Dependency status:
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overseas territory of France since 1946
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Government type:
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NA
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Capital:
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Papeete
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Administrative divisions:
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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
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Independence:
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none (overseas territory of France)
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National holiday:
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Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
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Constitution:
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28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
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Legal system:
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based on French system
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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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
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Legislative branch:
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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
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Judicial branch:
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Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif
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Political parties and leaders:
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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]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA
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International organization participation:
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FZ, ICFTU, WMO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (overseas territory of France)
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (overseas territory of France)
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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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.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $4.58 billion (2003 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4% (2001 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2001 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 6%
industry: 18%
services: 76% (1997)
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Population below poverty line:
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NA
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.5% (2002 est.)
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Labor force:
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70,000 (1996)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)
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Unemployment rate:
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11.8% (1994)
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Budget:
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revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)
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Agriculture - products:
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coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee
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Industries:
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tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA
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Electricity - production:
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428.3 million kWh (2001)
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Electricity - consumption:
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398.3 million kWh (2001)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001)
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Oil - production:
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - consumption:
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4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001)
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001)
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Exports:
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$244 million f.o.b. (2002)
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Exports - commodities:
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cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat
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Exports - partners:
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France 66.3%, Japan 16.1%, US 9.1% (2003)
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Imports:
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$1.341 billion f.o.b. (2002)
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Imports - commodities:
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fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
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Imports - partners:
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France 59.9%, Australia 11.9%, New Zealand 6%, US 6% (2003)
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Debt - external:
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NA (2000 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$367 million (1997)
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Currency:
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Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
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Currency code:
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XPF
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Exchange rates:
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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
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Highways:
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total: 2,590 km
paved: 1,735 km
unpaved: 855 km (1999)
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Ports and harbors:
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Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
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Merchant marine:
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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 (2003 est.)
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Airports:
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49 (2003 est.)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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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.)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
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Heliports:
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1 (2003 est.)
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Disputes - international:
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none
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This page was last updated on 27 January, 2005
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