French Polynesia

overseas territory of France since 1946Independence none (overseas territory of France)

French Polynesia as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 111 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalPapeete
LocationOceania, Polynesia halfway between Australia and South America
1994

Every edition of French Polynesia

Populationas each edition published it
215,129 people July 1994 est. · 190,181 in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.25% 1994 est. · 2.26% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 26.7 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 70.33 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.31 children per woman 1994 est. · 3.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
14.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 23 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$7,000 1993 est. · $6,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 2.5% in 2001

Geography

Oceania, Polynesia halfway between Australia and South America

23 fields
Coastline
2,525km
land boundaries: 0 km

Location

Oceania, Polynesia halfway between Australia and South America

total area

3,941 sq km

land area

3,660 sq km

comparative area

slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Climate

tropical, but moderate

Terrain

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Natural resources

timber, fish, cobalt

arable land

1%

permanent crops

19%

meadows and pastures

5%

forest and woodland

31%

other

44%

current issues

NA

natural hazards

occasional cyclonic storms in January

international agreements

NA

Note

includes five archipelagoes; 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

20 fields
Population
215,129
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.25% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
27.75Death
5.27Net migration
0

Ethnic divisions

Polynesian 78%Chinese 12%local French 6%metropolitan French 4%

Religions

Protestant 54%Roman Catholic 30%other 16%
Labor force
76,630employed
(1988)
Literacy
14
age · and over but definition of literacy not available (1977)

Infant mortality rate

14.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

70.54 years

male

68.14 years

female

73.06 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.31 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

French Polynesian(s)

adjective

French Polynesian

Languages

French (official), Tahitian (official)

total population

98%

male

98%

female

98%

Government

Overseas territory of France since 1946

27 fields

Legislature, 41 seatsone dot, one seat

People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 18Polynesian Union Party 12New Fatherland Party 7other 4

Legislature, 2 seatsone dot, one seat

People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2

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

Type

overseas territory of France since 1946

Capital

Papeete

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

Independence

none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

chief of state

President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); High Commissioner of the Republic Michel JAU (since NA February 1992)

head of government

  • President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 10 May 1991);
  • Deputy to the French Assembly and President of the Territorial Assembly Jean JUVENTIN (since NA November 1992);
  • Territorial Vice President and Minister of Health Michel BUILLARD (since 12 September 1991)

cabinet

Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers

Territorial Assembly

  • elections last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held March 1996);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (41 total) People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 18, Polynesian Union Party 12, New Fatherland Party 7, other 4

French Senate

  • elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1998);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (1 total) party NA

French National Assembly

  • elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (2 total) People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal, Court of the First Instance, Court of Administrative Law

Political parties and leaders

  • People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira), Gaston FLOSSE;
  • Polynesian Union Party includes Te Tiarama, Alexandre LEONTIEFF, and Pupu Here Ai'a Te Nuneao Ia Ora, Jean JUVENTIN;
  • New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api), Emile VERNAUDON;
  • Polynesian Liberation Front (Tavini Huiraatira), Oscar TEMARU;
  • Independent Party (Ia Mana Te Nunaa), James SALMON;
  • other small parties

Member of

ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

none (overseas territory of France)

US diplomatic representation

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag

the flag of France is used

Economy

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$7,000
(1993 est.)
Unemployment rate
10%
(1990 est.)

Overview

Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about 20% of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.5 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$614 million

expenditures

$957 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988)

Exports

$88.9 million (f.o.b., 1989)

commodities

coconut products 79%, mother-of-pearl 14%, vanilla, shark meat

partners

France 54%, US 17%, Japan 17%

Imports

$765 million (c.i.f., 1989)

commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, equipment

partners

France 53%, US 11%, Australia 6%, NZ 5%

capacity

75,000 kW

production

275 million kWh

consumption per capita

1,330 kWh (1992)

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Agriculture

  • coconut and vanilla plantations;
  • vegetables and fruit;
  • poultry, beef, dairy products

recipient

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.95 billion

Currency

1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

  • Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 107.63 (January 1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989);
  • note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

13 fields

total

600 km (1982)

paved

NA

unpaved

NA

Ports

Papeete, Bora-bora

Merchant marine

3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,127 GRT/6,710 DWT, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1

note

a captive subset of the French register

total

43

usable

41

with permanent-surface runways

23

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

2

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

12

Telecommunications

  • 33,200 telephones;
  • 84,000 radio receivers;
  • 26,400 TV sets;
  • broadcast stations - 5 AM, 2 FM, 6 TV;
  • 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

3 fields

Branches

French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Note

defense is responsibility of France

Affiliation

(overseas territory of France)

Central Intelligence Agency. “French Polynesia.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/french-polynesia/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →