Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and 18th centuries, 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.
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Location:
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Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
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Geographic coordinates:
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13 18 S, 176 12 W
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Map references:
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Oceania
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Area:
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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
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Area - comparative:
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1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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129 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; 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
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Terrain:
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volcanic origin; low hills
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m
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Natural resources:
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NEGL
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Land use:
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arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 25%
other: 70% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km
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Natural hazards:
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NA
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Geography - note:
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both island groups have fringing reefs
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Population:
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15,880 (July 2004 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA
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Population growth rate:
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NA
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Birth rate:
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NA births/1,000 population
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Death rate:
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NA deaths/1,000 population
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Net migration rate:
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NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2004 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: NA
male: NA
female: NA
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years
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Total fertility rate:
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NA children born/woman
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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: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander
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Ethnic groups:
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Polynesian
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
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Languages:
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French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50%
male: 50%
female: 50% (1969 est.)
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Economy - overview:
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The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% 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.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $57.59 million (2003 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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NA
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA
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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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NA
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Labor force:
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NA
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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NA
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Budget:
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revenues: $20 million
expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.)
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Agriculture - products:
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breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats
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Industries:
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copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA
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Electricity - production:
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NA kWh
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Electricity - consumption:
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NA kWh
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2002)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2002)
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Exports:
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$250,000 f.o.b. (1999)
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Exports - commodities:
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copra, chemicals, construction materials
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Exports - partners:
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Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%
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Imports:
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$300,000 f.o.b. (1999)
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Imports - commodities:
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chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods
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Imports - partners:
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France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%
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Debt - external:
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NA
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Economic aid - recipient:
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assistance from France
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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), 107.25 (1998)
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Highways:
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total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea)
unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
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Ports and harbors:
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Leava, Mata-Utu
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Merchant marine:
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total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 134,037 GRT/14,271 DWT
by type: passenger 6
foreign-owned: France 3, Greece 1, Monaco 1, United States 1 (2003 est.)
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Airports:
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2 (2003 est.)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of France
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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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