The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on French Polynesia

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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French Polynesia

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(overseas territory of France)

Map

Location: 15 00 S, 140 00 W -- Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

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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

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Geography

Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 140 00 W
Map references: Oceania
Area:
total area: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land area: 3,660 sq km
comparative area: 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
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical, but moderate
Terrain: mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Orohena 2,241 m
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 sq km
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January
international agreements: NA
Geographic 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

People

Population: 224,911 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 40,450; female 39,038)
15-64 years: 61% (male 70,506; female 65,620)
65 years and over: 4% (male 4,636; female 4,661) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.19% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 27.15 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 5.27 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.94 years
male: 68.49 years
female: 73.5 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.26 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian
Ethnic divisions: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Religions: Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%
Languages: French (official), Tahitian (official)
Literacy: age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of literacy not available (1977 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98%

Government

Name of country:
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
Data code: FP
Type of government: 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 (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995); represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Paul RONCIERE (since 8 August 1994) who was appointed by the French Ministry of Interior
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Tinomana EBB (since NA)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral
Territorial Assembly: elections last held 17 March 1991 (next to be held NA 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 NA 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: People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira), Gaston FLOSSE; Polynesian Union Party (includes Te Tiarama and Here Ai'a Party), Jean JUVENTIN; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api), Emile VERNAUDON; Independent Party (Ia Mana Te Nunaa), Jacques DROLLET; Te Aratia Ote Nunaa, Tinomana EBB; Haere i Mua, Alexandre LEONTIEFF; other small parties
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US: none (overseas territory of France)
US diplomatic representation: none (overseas territory of France)
Flag: 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

Economic 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 territory will continue to benefit from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.76 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: NA%
GDP per capita: $8,000 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (1992 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1994)
Labor force: 76,630 employed (1988)
by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $686 million
expenditures: $884 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1989)
Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity:
capacity: 75,000 kW
production: 334 million kWh
consumption per capita: 1,189 kWh (1994)
Agriculture: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products
Exports: $230 million (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: cultured pearls 41.6%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1992)
partners: France 34%, US 10% (1992)
Imports: $912 million (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
partners: ECE 64% (France 45.4%), US 13.6%, Australia 6.9%, NZ 5.8%, Japan 5% (1992)
External debt: $NA
Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA
Currency: 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 91.00 (January 1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation

Railways: 0 km
Highways:
total: 792 km
paved: 792 km (1995 est.)
Ports: Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
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 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 41
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 5
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 13
with paved runways under 914 m: 15
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 6 (1995 est.)

Communications

Telephones: 33,200 (1983 est.)
Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 2, shortwave 0
Radios: 116,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 6
Televisions: 35,000 (1992 est.)

Defense

Branches: French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Defense note: defense is the responsibility of France

French Polynesia

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).