Background: The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842, and took official control of them between 1886 and 1888. Notably, Wallis and Futuna was the only French colony to side with the Vichy regime during World War II, a phase that ended in May of 1942 with the arrival of 2,000 American troops. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory and officially assumed that status in 1961. In 2003, Wallis and Futuna's designation changed to that of an overseas collectivity.

Geographic coordinates: 13 18 S, 176 12 W

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 142 km²
Land: 142 km²
Water: 0 km²
Note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
Rank: 220
Comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 129 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 250-300 cm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees Celsius

Terrain: volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Highest point: Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 522 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use
Agricultural land: 42.8% (2011 est.)
Forest: 41.9% (2011 est.)
Other: 15.3% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: cyclones; tsunamis

Geography
Note: both island groups have fringing reefs; Wallis contains several prominent crater lakes

Population: 15,854 (July 2020 est.)
Rank: 220
Growth rate: 0.28% (2020 est.)
Growth rate rank: 173
Below poverty line note: NA

Nationality
Noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
Adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Languages: Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) 58.9%, Futunian 30.1%, French (official) 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)

Religions: Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Age structure
0-14 years: 20.58% (male 1702/female 1561)
15-24 years: 14.72% (male 1238/female 1095)
25-54 years: 43.55% (male 3,529/female 3,376)
55-64 years: 9.92% (male 742/female 830)
65 years and over: 11.23% (male 856/female 925) (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 34 years
Male: 33.1 years
Female: 35.1 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 93

Population growth rate: 0.28% (2020 est.)
Rank: 173

Birth rate: 12.7 births/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 150

Death rate: 5.7 deaths/1000 population (2020 est.)
Rank: 178

Net migration rate: -4.3 migrant(s)/1000 population (2020 est.)
Note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia
Rank: 191

Urbanization
Urban population: 0% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 1,000 MATA-UTU (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of natural freshwater resources; lack of soil fertility on the islands of Uvea and Futuna negatively impacts agricultural producitivity

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.2 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 4.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.9 deaths/1000 live births (2020 est.)
Rank: 188

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.2 years
Male: 77.2 years
Female: 83.4 years (2020 est.)
Rank: 48

Total fertility rate: 1.71 children born/woman (2020 est.)
Rank: 171

Drinking water source
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2017)

Sanitation facility access
Rural: 0% of population
Total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate note: NA
People living with hivaids note: NA
Deaths note: NA

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high (2020)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne diseases: malaria

Education expenditures
Note: NA

Country name
Conventional long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
Conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
Local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna
Local short form: Wallis et Futuna
Former: Hoorn Islands is the former name of the Futuna Islands
Etymology: Wallis Island is named after British Captain Samuel WALLIS, who discovered it in 1767; Futuna is derived from the native word futu, which is the name of the fish-poison tree found on the island

Government type: parliamentary democracy (Territorial Assembly); overseas collectivity of France

Capital
Name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
Geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W
Time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 3 administrative precincts (circonscriptions, singular - circonscription) Alo, Sigave, Uvea

Independence: none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution
History: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Amendments: French constitution amendment procedures apply

Legal system: French civil law

Citizenship: see France

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Administrator Superior Herve JONATHAN (since 25 November 2020)
Head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly David VERGE (since 4 April 2017)
Cabinet: Council of the Territory appointed by the administrator superior on the advice of the Territorial Assembly
Electionsappointments: French president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); administrator superior appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly elected by assembly members
Note: there are 3 traditional kings with limited powers

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Assizes or Cour dAssizes (consists of 1 judge; court hears primarily serious criminal cases); note - appeals beyond the Court of Assizes are heard before the Court of Appeal or Cour dAppel (in Noumea, New Caledonia)
Judge selection and term of office: NA
Subordinate courts: courts of first instance; labor court; note - justice generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the 3 traditional kings administer customary law, and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Political parties and leaders: Left Radical Party or PRG [Guillaume LACROIX] (formerly Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) (leader NA)Rally for Wallis and Futuna-The Republicans (Rassemblement pour Wallis and Futuna) or RPWF-LR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]Socialist Party or PSTaumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

International organization participation: PIF (observer), SPC, UPU

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

Flag description: unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist quadrant
Note: the design is derived from an original red banner with a white cross pattee that was introduced in the 19th century by French missionaries; the flag of France is used for official occasions

National symbols: red saltire (Saint Andrew's Cross) on a white square on a red field; national colors: red, white

National anthem
Note: as a territory of France, 'La Marseillaise' is official (see France)

Real gdp purchasing power parity
Real: $60 million (2004 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: NA

Real gdp per capita: $3,800 (2004 est.)
Rank: 168

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 26% (2005)
Government consumption: 54% (2005)

Agriculture products: coconuts, breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish

Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate
Note: NA

Labor force: 4,482 (2013)
Rank: 222
By occupation agriculture: 74%
By occupation industry: 3%
By occupation services: 23% (2015 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 134

Population below poverty line
Note: NA

Budget
Revenues: 32.54 million
Note: NA (2015 est.)
Expenditures: 34.18 million
Surplus or deficit: -0.8% (of GDP)
Surplus or deficit note: NA (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 70

Taxes and other revenues: 16.7% (of GDP)
Note: NA (2015 est.)
Rank: 175

Public debt: 5.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
Note: offical data; data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions
Rank: 204

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 63

Exports: $47,450 (2004 est.)
Rank: 223
Commodities: copra, chemicals, construction materials

Imports: $61.17 million (2004 est.)
Rank: 220
Commodities: chemicals, machinery, consumer goods

Debt external: $3.67 million (2004)
Rank: 201

Exchange rates:

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 4,012
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 25.38 (2019 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 207

Broadcast media: the publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which broadcasts to France's overseas departments, collectivities, and territories, is carried on the RFO Wallis and Fortuna TV and radio stations (2019)

Internet
Country code: .wf
Users total: 3,450
Users percent of population: 22.1% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 220

Airports: 2 (2013)
Rank: 207
With paved runways total: 2 (2019)
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Leava, Mata-Utu

Disputes international: none