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 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 84 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

Position15 00 S, 140 00 W

Area4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)

LocationOceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about

1996

Every edition of French Polynesia

Populationas each edition published it

224,911 people July 1996 est. · 190,181 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.19% 1996 est. · 2.26% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.94 years 1996 est. · 70.33 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.26 children per woman 1996 est. · 3.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

14.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 23 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$8,000 1995 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

15 fields

Land use

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

Area

4,167sq km

(118 islands and atolls)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

lowest point:: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:: Mount Orohena 2,241 m

Environment

current issues:: NA
natural hazards:: occasional cyclonic storms in January
international agreements:: NA

Geographic 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

224,911

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 2.19% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

27.15Death

5.27Net migration

Male · female(1996 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years70.94

68.49 · 73.5

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy98%

98% · 98%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of literacy not available (1977 est.)

Ethnic divisions

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

Religions

Protestant 54%Roman Catholic 30%other 16%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 35% (male 40,450; female 39,038)
15-64 years:: 61% (male 70,506; female 65,620)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 4,636; female 4,661) (July 1996 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1 male(s)/female
all ages:: 1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Nationality

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

Government

Overseas territory of France since 1946; President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995); President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 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

Name of country

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 (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995);
represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since 8 August 1994) who was appointed by the French Ministry of Interior
head of government:: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Tinomana EBB (since NA)
cabinet:: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral

Territorial Assembly

elections last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held NA 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 NA 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 and Here Ai'a Party), Jean JUVENTIN;
New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api), Emile VERNAUDON;
Independent Party (Ia Mana Te Nunaa), Jacques DROLLET;
Te Aratia Ote Nunaa, Tinomana EBB;
Haere i Mua, Alexandre LEONTIEFF;
other small parties

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in US

none (overseas territory of France)

US diplomatic representation

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag

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

20 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$8,000

(1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.5%

(1994)

Labor force

76,630employed

(1988)by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1992 est.)

GDP composition by sector(1992 est.)

agriculture 4%industry 18%services 78% (1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$686 millionExpenditures

$884 million (1989)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 75,000 kW

Electricity production

334 millionElectricity consumption per capita

1,189 (1994)

Economic 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.

The territory will continue to benefit from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs.

commodities:: cultured pearls 41.6%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992)
partners:: France 34%, US 10% (1992)

Imports

$912 million (c.i.f., 1994)

commodities:: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
partners:: ECE 64% (France 45.4%), US 13.6%, Australia 6.9%, NZ 5.8%, Japan 5% (1992)

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 91.00 (January 1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991);
note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc