Statistical information French Polynesia 1992
French Polynesia in the World
top of pageBackground: The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century.
top of pageLocationGeographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 3,941 km²
Land: 3,660 km²
Comparative: slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 2,525 km
Maritime claimsExclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: none
Climate: tropical, but moderate
Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
ElevationNatural resources: timber, fish, cobalt
Land use: arable land: 1%; permanent crops: 19%; meadows and pastures 5%; forest and woodland 31%; other 44%
Irrigated landMajor riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 205,620 (July 1992), growth rate 2.3% (1992)
Nationality: noun - French Polynesian(s; adjective - French Polynesian
Ethnic groups: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Languages: French and Tahitian (both official)
Religions: mainly Christian; Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rateBirth rate: 28 births/1000 population (1992)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1992)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: occasional cyclonic storm in January; includes five archipelagoes
Current issues note: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
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 15 deaths/1000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth: 68 years male, 73 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (1992)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy: 98% (male 98%, female 98%) age 14 and over but definition of literacy not available (1977)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
Government type: 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
Dependent areasIndependence: none (overseas territory of France)
National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: based on French system
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: universal at age 18
Executive branch:
French president, high commissioner of the republic, president of the Council of Ministers, vice president of the Council of
Ministers, Council of Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO
Diplomatic representation:as an overseas territory of France, French
Polynesian interests are represented in the US by France
Diplomatic representationFlag description: the flag of France is used
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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.
GDP: exchange rate conversion - $1.2 billion, per capita $6,000; real growth rate NA% (1991 est.)
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rateReal gdp per capita pppGross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: coconut and vanilla plantations; vegetables and fruit; poultry, beef, dairy products
Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%
Labor force: 76,630 employed (1988)
Organized labor: NA
Unemployment rate: 14.9% (1988 est.)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $614 million; expenditures $957 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988)
Public debtTaxes and other revenuesRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Current account balanceInflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $88.9 million (f.o.b., 1989)
Commodoties: coconut products 79%, mother-of-pearl 14%, vanilla, shark meat
Partners: France 54%, US 17%, Japan 17%
Imports: $765 million (c.i.f., 1989)
Commodoties: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
Partners: France 53%, US 11%, Australia 6%, NZ 5%
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 97.81 (January 1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988), 109.27 (1987; note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
top of pageElectricity accessElectricity production: 72,000 kW capacity; 265 million kWh produced, 1,390 kWh per capita (1990)
Electricity consumptionElectricity exportsElectricity importsElectricity installed generating capacityElectricity transmission distribution lossesElectricity generation sourcesPetroleumRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones fixed linesTelephones mobile cellularTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternet country codeInternet usersBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresMilitary and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports:
43 total, 41 usable; 23 with permanent-surface runways; none
with runways over 3,659 m; 2
with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 12
with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Airports with paved runwaysAirports with unpaved runwaysHeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine:
3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,128 GRT/6,710
DWT; includes 2 passenger-cargo, 1 refrigerated cargo; note - a captive subset of the French register
Civil air: about 6 major transport aircraft
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs