French Polynesia
Territory of French Polynesia conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania
NAIndependence none (overseas territory of France)
French Polynesia as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 fieldsLocation
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
Land use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 31% other: 57% (1993 est.)
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
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 29.74% (male 38,473; female 36,925) 15-64 years: 65.17% (male 86,128; female 79,076) 65 years and over: 5.09% (male 6,481; female 6,423) (2001 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 (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.01 years male: 72.67 years female: 77.46 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)
Government
NA
19 fieldsTerritorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale, 2 seatsone 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 former: French Colony of Oceania
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, 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];
- Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU];
- New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON];
- People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]
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
32 fieldsElectricity
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.
Budget
revenues: $1 billion expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)
Exports - commodities
cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997)
Exchange rates
- Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996);
- note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Transportation
8 fieldsMerchant marine
total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 32 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.)
Military
French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
2 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “French Polynesia.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/french-polynesia/2001.