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  French Polynesia  
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  Geography
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In general, information available as of 1 January, 2004
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2004.


This page was last updated on 27 January, 2005


Map of French Polynesia

Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    French Polynesia
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
   Geography    French Polynesia
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
15 00 S, 140 00 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km
water: 507 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
2,525 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical, but moderate
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0.82%
permanent crops: 5.46%
other: 93.72% (2001)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
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
   People    French Polynesia
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
266,339 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
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.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 27.1 years
male: 27.4 years
female: 26.7 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.57% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
17.34 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.58 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.94 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
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.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
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.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 75.67 years
male: 73.29 years
female: 78.18 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.09 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
French (official), Tahitian (official)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)
   Government    French Polynesia
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
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
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
overseas territory of France since 1946
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Papeete
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
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
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on French system
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
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
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
FZ, ICFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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
   Economy    French Polynesia
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $4.58 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $17,500 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 6%
industry: 18%
services: 76% (1997)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.5% (2002 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
70,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.8% (1994)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
428.3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
398.3 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$244 million f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 66.3%, Japan 16.1%, US 9.1% (2003)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.341 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 59.9%, Australia 11.9%, New Zealand 6%, US 6% (2003)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2000 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$367 million (1997)
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
XPF
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
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
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    French Polynesia
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
52,500 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
90,000 (2002)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.pf
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
5,123 (2003)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
35,000 (2002)
   Transportation    French Polynesia
Highways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 2,590 km
paved: 1,735 km
unpaved: 855 km (1999)
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
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.)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
49 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2003 est.)
   Military    French Polynesia
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of France
   Transnational Issues    French Polynesia
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none

This page was last updated on 27 January, 2005


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