French Polynesia
Territory of French PolynesiaTerritoire de la Polynesie Francaise
NAIndependence none (overseas territory of France)
French Polynesia as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 99 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about | one-half of the way from South America to Australia
18 fieldsLand use(1993 est.)
Location
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
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 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1999 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 33% (male 40,422; female 38,913)
- 15-64 years:
- 63% (male 78,637; female 72,832)
- 65 years and over:
- 4% (male 5,642; female 5,627) (1999 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.08 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.06 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Government
NA; President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since NA 1994); President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991)
19 fieldsLegislature, 41 seats, elected 12 May 1996one dot, one seat
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
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since NA 1994)
- head of government:
- President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991);
- President of the Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996)
- cabinet:
- Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers
- elections:
- French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
- high commissioner appointed by the French president 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 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--UC 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May--1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); 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 Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini
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
31 fieldsGDP--composition by sector(1997)
Electricity
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 small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefited from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs.
Exports--commodities
cultured pearls 53.8%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992)
Exchange rates
- Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1--102.72 (January 1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994);
- note--linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Communications
6 fieldsTransportation
7 fieldsMerchant marine, 4 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1998 est.)
Airports by runway lengthpaved only
Networkskm
Military
French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air | Force), Gendarmerie
2 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “French Polynesia.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/french-polynesia/1999.