French Polynesia

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. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.

• includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral);
• 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

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:

1.02 male(s)/female

total population:

1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

noun:

French Polynesian(s)

adjective:

French Polynesian

conventional long form:

Overseas Lands of French Polynesia

conventional short form:

French Polynesia

local long form:

Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise

local short form:

Polynesie Francaise

former:

French Colony of Oceania

name:

Papeete

geographic coordinates:

17 32 S, 149 34 W

time difference:

UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

chief of state:

President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Anne BOQUET (since September 2005)

head of government:

President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 3 March 2005); President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004)

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 five-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 for five-year terms (no term limits)

• Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel;
• Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance;
• Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif

• Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours);
• 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 of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE];
• Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]

• 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

• under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs;
• the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister

agriculture:

13%

industry:

19%

services:

68% (2002)

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

general assessment:

NA

domestic:

NA

international:

country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

total:

2,590 km

paved:

1,735 km

unpaved:

855 km (1999)

total:

13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWT

by type:

cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1

foreign-owned:

1 (France 1)

registered in other countries:

2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2006)