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.

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

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

Geography
Note: defense is responsibility of France

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%

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.)

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.)

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

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.)

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

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

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 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

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

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 growth rate: NA%

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

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.)

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

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%

Debt external: $NA

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

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

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

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

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

Disputes international: none