French Polynesia

Territory of French PolynesiaTerritoire de la Polynesie Francaise

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

French Polynesia as the 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 78 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

Area3,941 sq km

LocationOceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about

1995

Every edition of French Polynesia

Populationas each edition published it

219,999 people July 1995 est. · 190,181 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.23% 1995 est. · 2.26% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.75 years 1995 est. · 70.33 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.3 children per woman 1995 est. · 3.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

14.6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 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, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about | one-half of the way from South America to Australia

14 fields

Land useshare of 3,941 sq km

arable land 1%permanent crops 19%meadows and pastures 5%forest and woodland 31%other 44%

Area

3,941sq km

land area: 3,660 sq kmcomparative area: slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Coastline

2,525km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

Terrain

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Environment

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

15 fields

Population

219,999

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 2.23% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

27.56Death

5.27Net migration

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years70.75

68.32 · 73.29

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy98%

98% · 98%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 14 and over can read and write but definition of literary not available (1977)

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)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 36% (female 38,361; male 39,744)
15-64 years:: 60% (female 64,034; male 69,024)
65 years and over:: 4% (female 4,437; male 4,399) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

14.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun:: French Polynesian(s)
adjective:: French Polynesian

Government

Overseas territory of France since 1946; President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 10 May 1991)

21 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

Names

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

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)

Legal system

based on French system

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since 8 August 1994)
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

Legislative branch

unicameral

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;
Here Ai'a Party, Jean JUVENTIN;
New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api), Emile VERNAUDON;
Polynesian Liberation Front (Tavini Hviraatira No Te Ao Maohi), Oscar TEMARU;
Independent Party (Ia Mana Te Nunaa), Jacques DROLLET;
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

18 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$7,000

(1993 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.7%

(1991)

Unemployment rate

10%

(1990 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$614 millionExpenditures

$957 million (1988)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 75,000 kW

Electricity production

275 millionElectricity consumption per capita

1,189 (1993)

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 - purchasing power parity - $1.5 billion (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

NA%

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%

External debt

$NA

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Agriculture

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

Economic aid

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 - 96.25 (January 1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990);
note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

5 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 43 in all

over 3,047 m

1,524 to 2,437 m

914 to 1,523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

600 (1982)Railroads

Highways: paved: NA · unpaved: NA

Highways

total:: 600 km (1982)
paved:: NA
unpaved:: NA

Ports

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Merchant marine

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

note: a subset of the French register allowing French-owned ships to operate under more liberal taxation and manning regulations than permissable under the main French register