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FRENCH POLYNESIA
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OFFICIAL NAME
French Polynesia
CAPITAL CITY
Papeete, Tahiti
Geography
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
Area:
total area:
4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land area:
3,660 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
2,525 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical, but moderate
Terrain:
mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:
Mount Orohena 2,241 m
Natural resources:
timber, fish, cobalt
Land use:
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
19%
meadows and pastures:
5%
forest and woodland:
31%
other:
44%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
NA
natural hazards:
occasional cyclonic storms in January
international agreements:
NA
Geographic 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
Population:
224,911 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
35% (male 40,450; female 39,038)
15-64 years:
61% (male 70,506; female 65,620)
65 years and over:
4% (male 4,636; female 4,661) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.19% (1996 est.)
Birth rate:
27.15 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate:
5.27 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
1 male(s)/female
all ages:
1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
70.94 years
male:
68.49 years
female:
73.5 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.26 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
French Polynesian(s)
adjective:
French Polynesian
Ethnic divisions:
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Religions:
Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%
Languages:
French (official), Tahitian (official)
Literacy:
age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of literacy not available (1977 est.)
total population:
98%
male:
98%
female:
98%
Government
Name of country:
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:
FP
Type of government:
overseas territory of France since 1946
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 Paul RONCIERE (since 8 August 1994) who was appointed by the French Ministry of Interior
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
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Territorial Assembly:
elections last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held NA March 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (41 total) People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 18, Polynesian Union Party 12, New Fatherland Party 7, other 4
French Senate:
elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) party NA
French National Assembly:
elections last held 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held NA March 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal; Court of the First Instance; Court of Administrative Law
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; 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 US:
none (overseas territory of France)
US diplomatic representation:
none (overseas territory of France)
Economy
Economic 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.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $1.76 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate:
NA%
GDP per capita:
$8,000 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture:
4%
industry:
18%
services:
78% (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.5% (1994)
Labor force:
76,630 employed (1988)
by occupation:
agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
NA%
Budget:
revenues:
$686 million
expenditures:
$884 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Industries:
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
75,000 kW
production:
334 million kWh
consumption per capita:
1,189 kWh (1994)
Agriculture:
coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products
Exports:
$230 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities:
cultured pearls 41.6%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992)
partners:
France 34%, US 10% (1992)
Imports:
$912 million (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities:
fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
partners:
ECE 64% (France 45.4%), US 13.6%, Australia 6.9%, NZ 5.8%, Japan 5% (1992)
External debt:
$NA
Economic aid:
recipient:
ODA, $NA
Currency:
1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 91.00 (January 1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Fiscal year:
calendar year
Transportation
Railways:
0 km
Highways:
total:
792 km
paved:
792 km (1995 est.)
Ports:
Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
Merchant marine:
total:
3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,127 GRT/6,710 DWT
ships by type:
passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total:
41
with paved runways over 3 047 m:
2
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m:
5
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
13
with paved runways under 914 m:
15
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m:
6 (1995 est.)
Communications
Telephones:
33,200 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic:
NA
international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 5, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios:
116,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations:
6
Televisions:
35,000 (1992 est.)
Defense
Branches:
French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Defense note:
defense is the responsibility of France
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