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. The tests were suspended in January 1996.

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 4,167 km² (118 islands and atolls)
Land: 3,660 km²
Water: 507 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
Extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources: timber, fish, cobalt

Land use
Arable land: 1%
Permanent crops: 6%
Permanent pastures: 5%
Forests and woodland: 31%
Other: 57% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA km²

Natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January

Geography
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

Population: 237,844 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 1.81% (1998 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: 33% (male 40,264; female 38,770)
15-64 years: 62% (male 77,011; female 71,100)
65 years and over: 5% (male 5,347; female 5,352) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.81% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 22.67 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 5 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.39 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Environment
Current issues: NA
International agreements party to: NA
International agreements signed but not ratified: NA

Sex ratio
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 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.67 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 72.25 years
Male: 69.87 years
Female: 74.75 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.71 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of literacy not available
Total population: 98%
Male: 98%
Female: 98% (1977 est.)

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: NA

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 NA 1994): ead of
Government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers
Elections: high commissioner appointed by the president of France 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

Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 12 May 1996 (next to be held NA March 2001)
Election results: percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Polynesian Liberation Front 10, New Fatherland Party 5, other 4
Note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 24 September 1989 (next to be held NA September 1998); results_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_UC 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May_1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results_percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2

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

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: 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

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. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory will continue to benefit from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs.

Real gdp growth rate: NA%

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $8,000 (1995 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4%
Industry: 18%
Services: 78% (1992 est.)

Agriculture products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products

Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force
Total: 118,744 (of which 70,044 are employed) (1988)
By occupation agriculture: 13%
By occupation industry: 19%
By occupation services: 68% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1992 est.)

Budget
Revenues: $636 million
Expenditures: $643 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1994)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: total value:$245 million (f.o.b., 1994)
Commodoties: cultured pearls 53.8%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992)
Partners: France 33%, US 8.5% (1994)

Imports: total value:$967 million (c.i.f., 1994)
Commodoties: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
Partners: France 44.7%, US 13.9% (1994)

Debt external: $NA

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1_110.60 (January 1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993; note_linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Electricity
Capacity: 79,000 kW (1995)
Production: 330 million kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 1,500 kWh (1995)

Telephones: 33,200 (1983 est.)

Telephone system
Domestic: NA
International: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Airports: 43 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 25
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: 4 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 18
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 11 (1997 est.)

Railways: 0 km

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 (1997 est.)

Disputes international: none