French Polynesia

Territory of French PolynesiaTerritoire de la Polynesie Francaise

NAIndependence none (overseas territory of France)

French Polynesia as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 90 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

1997

Every edition of French Polynesia

Populationas each edition published it

233,488 people July 1997 est. · 190,181 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.89% 1997 est. · 2.26% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

72.17 years 1997 est. · 70.33 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.77 children per woman 1997 est. · 3.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

13.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 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

18 fields

Land use(1993 est.)

arable land 1%permanent crops 6%permanent pastures 5%forests and woodland 31%other 57% (1993 est.)

Area

4,167sq km

(118 islands and atolls)land: 3,660 sq kmwater: 507 sq kmslightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Coastline

2,525km

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

Highest point

2,241m

Mount Orohenalowest point : Pacific Ocean 0 m

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 - international agreements

party to:: NA
signed, but not ratified:: NA

Geography - 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

233,488

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.89% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

23.27Death

4.95Net migration

0.59

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

Protestant 54%Roman Catholic 30%other 16%

Literacy

98%

definition: age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of literacy not availablemale : 98%female: 98% (1977 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years:: 34% (male 39,958; female 38,492) 15-64 years : 62% (male 75,450; female 69,441)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 5,063; female 5,084) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years :: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.09 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.07 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

13.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 72.17 years
male:: 69.81 years
female :: 74.65 years (1997 est.)

Nationality

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

Government

NA; President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Dominique BUR (since NA); President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991)

19 fields

Legislature, 41 seats, elected 12 May 1996one dot, one seat

People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22Polynesian Liberation Front 10New Fatherland Party 5other 4

Country name

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

Data code

Dependency status

overseas territory of France since 1946

Government type

National 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)

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 Dominique BUR (since NA)
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
elections:: high commissioner appointed by the president of France 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

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Polynesian Liberation Front 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4

note : one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held 25 May-1 June 1997 - special election); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2

Judicial branch

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

People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE];
Polynesian Union Party (includes Te Tiarama and Here Ai'a Party) [Jean JUVENTIN];
Polynesian Liberation Front (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU];
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 the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description

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

22 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

1.5%

(1994)

Unemployment rate

15%

(1992 est.)

Labor force

118,744

(of which 70,044 are employed) (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

$713 millionExpenditures

$1.36 billion (1994)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - 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.

total value:: $245 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities :: cultured pearls 53.8%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992)
partners:: France 33%, US 8.5% (1994)

Imports

total value:: $967 million (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities :: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
partners:: France 44.7%, US 13.9% (1994)

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 98.48 (January 1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992);
note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

33,200

(1983 est.)

Telephone system

domestic:: NA
international:: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13

Railways

0 km

Highways

total :: 792 km
paved:: 792 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Merchant marine

total :: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,127 GRT/53,710 DWT
ships by type:: chemical tanker 1, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)