Map of French Polynesia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total area total: 3,941 km²
Land: 3,660 km²
Comparative: 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

Climate: tropical, but moderate

Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation

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 km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: defense is responsibility of France


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Population: 219,999 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.23% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: French Polynesian(s)
Adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic groups: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Languages: French (official), Tahitian (official)

Religions: Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 36% (female 38,361; male 39,744)
15-64 years: 60% (female 64,034; male 69,024)
65 years and over: 4% (female 4,437; male 4,399) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.23% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 27.56 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.27 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
Current issues natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January
Current issues international agreements: NA

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 14.6 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.75 years
Male: 68.32 years
Female: 73.29 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.3 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 14 and over can read and write but definition of literary not available (1977)
Total population: 98%
Male: 98%
Female: 98%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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

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 areas

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since 8 August 1994)
Head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 10 May 1991); Deputy to the French Assembly and President of the Territorial Assembly Jean JUVENTIN (since NA November 1992); Territorial Vice President and Minister of Health Michel BUILLARD (since 12 September 1991)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers

Legislative branch: unicameral
Territorial Assembly: elections last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held 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 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

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of France)
From the us: none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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 20% of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: $7,000 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: coconut and vanilla plantations; vegetables and fruit; poultry, beef, dairy products

Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%; accounts for 15% of GDP

Labor force: 76,630 employed (1988)

Unemployment rate: 10% (1990 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $614 million
Expenditures: $957 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $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 gold

Debt external: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 96.25 (January 1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990; note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc


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Electricity
Capacity: 75,000 kW
Production: 275 million kWh
Production consumption per capita: 1,189 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 33,200 telephones
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 1 INTELSAT (Pacific Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 43
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 14
With paved runways under 914 m: 18
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 4

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

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
Note: a subset of the French register allowing French-owned ships to operate under more liberal taxation and manning regulations than permissable under the main French register

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs