French Polynesia

Territory of French PolynesiaTerritoire de la Polynesie Francaise

NAIndependence none (overseas territory of France)

French Polynesia as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 101 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 one-half of the way from South America to Australia

2000

Every edition of French Polynesia

Populationas each edition published it

249,110 people July 2000 est. · 190,181 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.78% 2000 est. · 2.26% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.79 years 2000 est. · 70.33 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.28 children per woman 2000 est. · 3.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

9.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 23 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$10,800 1997 est. · $6,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.5% in 2001

Introduction

1 field

Background

The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.

Geography

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

17 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

Mont 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

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references

Oceania

Climate

tropical, but moderate

Terrain

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Natural resources

timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Natural hazards

occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment - current issues

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

249,110

(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 1.78% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

19.01Death

4.41Net migration

3.14

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)74.79

72.47 · 77.22

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1977 est.)98%

98% · 98%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 14 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Religions

Protestant 54%Roman Catholic 30%other 16%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 30% (male 38,736; female 37,197)
15-64 years:: 65% (male 83,986; female 76,973)
65 years and over:: 5% (male 6,127; female 6,091) (2000 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:: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.07 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.28 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

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

Languages

French (official), Tahitian (official)

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 fields

Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale, 41 seats, elected 12 May 1996one dot, one seat

People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 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

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 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, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 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

Centrist Union or UC [leader NA];
Entente Polynesian [Arthur CHUNG];
Haere i Mua [Alexandre LEONTIEFF];
Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU];
Independent Party (Ia Mana Te Nunaa) [Jacques DROLLET];
New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON];
People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE];
Polynesian Union Party (includes Te Tiarama and Pupu Here Ai'a Party) [Jean JUVENTIN];
Pupu Taina [Michel LAW];
Te Aratia Ote Nunaa (Tinomana Ebb);
Te e'a No Maohi Nui [Jean-Marius RAAPOTO]

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

31 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

1.5%

(1994)

Unemployment rate

15%

(1992 est.)

Labor force

118,744

(of which 70,044 are employed) (1988)

GDP - composition by sector(1997)

agriculture 4%industry 18%services 78% (1997)

Budget

Revenues

$1 billionExpenditures

$900 million (1996)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $185 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 59.72%hydro 40.28%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

360 million (1998)Electricity consumption

335 million (1998)

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 one-fourth 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.

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 117.67 (January 2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995);
note - linked at the rate of 18.18 CFPFs to the French franc