French Polynesia

French Polynesia

Introduction

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. In recent years, French Polynesia’s autonomy has been considerably expanded.

Geography

Location

Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about half way between South America and Australia

Geographic coordinates

15 00 S, 140 00 W

Map references

Oceania

Area

total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
country comparison to the world: 175 land:3,827 sq km
water:340 sq km

Area – comparative

slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Land boundaries

0 km

Coastline

2,525 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone:200 nm

Climate

tropical, but moderate

Terrain

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point:Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Natural resources

timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

Land use

arable land: 0.75%
permanent crops:5.5%
other:93.75% (2005)

Irrigated land

10 sq km (2008)

Natural hazards

occasional cyclonic storms in January

Environment – current issues

NA

Geography – note

includes five archipelagoes (four volcanic, one coral)

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 and Society

Nationality

noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective:French Polynesian

Ethnic groups

Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

Languages

French (official) 61.1%, Polynesian (official) 31.4%, Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)

Religions

Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

Population

294,935 (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180

Age structure

0-14 years: 23.5% (male 35,376/female 33,840)
15-64 years:69.3% (male 105,823/female 98,597)
65 years and over:7.2% (male 10,742/female 10,557) (2011 est.)

Median age

total: 29.9 years
male:30.2 years
female:29.6 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.331% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89

Birth rate

15.53 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130

Death rate

4.87 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190

Net migration rate

2.65 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31

Urbanization

urban population: 51% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:1.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Major cities – population

PAPEETE (capital) 133,000 (2009)

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:1.02 male(s)/female
total population:1.06 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.27 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 164 male:8.35 deaths/1,000 live births
female:6.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.1 years
country comparison to the world: 65 male:74.62 years
female:79.7 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.87 children born/woman (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145

Drinking water source

improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population (2008)

Sanitation facility access

improved:
urban: 99% of population
rural: 97% of population
total: 98% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1% of population
rural: 3% of population
total: 2% of population (2008)

HIV/AIDS – adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS – people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

HIV/AIDS – deaths

NA

Education expenditures

NA

Literacy

definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population:98%
male:98%
female:98% (1977 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

NA

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 33.2%
country comparison to the world: 13 male:29.3%
female:39.1% (2002)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
conventional short form:French Polynesia
local long form:Pays d’outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise
local short form:Polynesie Francaise
former:French Colony of Oceania

Dependency status

overseas lands of France

overseas territory of France from 1946-2003

overseas collectivity of France since 2003, though it is often referred to as an overseas country due to its degree of autonomy

Government type

NA

Capital

name: Papeete
geographic coordinates:17 32 S, 149 34 W
time difference:UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas lands of France)

there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent

Independence

none (overseas lands of France)

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

note – the local holiday is Internal Autonomy Day, 29 June (1880)

Constitution

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Suffrage

18 years of age

universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Richard DIDIER (since 24 January 2011)
head of government:President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 1 April 2011)

President of the Assembly of French Polynesia Jacqui DROLLET (since 14 April 2011)
cabinet:Council of Ministers

president submits a list of members of the Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers
(For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections:French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term

high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior

president of the French Polynesia government and the president of the Assembly of French Polynesia elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no term limits)

Legislative branch

unicameral Assembly of French Polynesia or Assemblee de la Polynesia francaise (57 seats

members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:last held on 27 January 2008 (first round) and 10 February 2008 (second round) (next to be held in 2013)
election results:percent of vote by party – Our Home alliance 45.2%, Union for Democracy alliance 37.2%, Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) 17.2% other 0.5%

seats by party – Our Home alliance 27, Union for Democracy alliance 20, Popular Rally 10
note:two seats were elected to the French Senate on 21 September 2008 (next to be held in September 2014)

results – percent of vote by party – NA

seats by party – UMP 1, independent 1

two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 10-17 June 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

results – percent of vote by party – NA

seats by party – UMP 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

Political parties and leaders

Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN (includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours)

New Fatherland Party (Ai’a Api)

Our Home alliance

People’s Servant Party (Tavini Huiraatira)

Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira)

Union for Democracy alliance or UPD

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

International organization participation

ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas lands of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas lands of France)

Flag description

two red horizontal bands encase a wide white band in a 1:2:1 ratio

centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern depicting the sea on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern depicting the sun on the upper half

a Polynesian canoe rides on the wave pattern

the canoe has a crew of five represented by five stars that symbolize the five island groups

red and white are traditional Polynesian colors
note:similar to the red-white-red flag of Tahiti, the largest of the islands in French Polynesia, which has no emblem in the white band

the flag of France is used for official occasions

National symbol(s)

outrigger canoe

National anthem

name: “Ia Ora ‘O Tahiti Nui” (Long Live Tahiti Nui)
lyrics/music:Maeva BOUGES, Irmine TEHEI, Angele TEROROTUA, Johanna NOUVEAU, Patrick AMARU, Louis MAMATUI and Jean-Pierre CELESTIN
note:adopted 1993

serves as a local anthem

as a territory of France, “La Marseillaise” is official (see France)

Government – note

under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs

the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister

Economy

Economy – overview

Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$4.718 billion (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164 $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$6.1 billion (2004)

GDP – real growth rate

2.7% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 131 5.1% (2002)

GDP – per capita (PPP)

$18,000 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66 $17,500 (2003 est.)

GDP – composition by sector

agriculture: 3.5%
industry:20.4%
services:76.1% (2005)

Labor force

116,000 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 179

Labor force – by occupation

agriculture: 13%
industry:19%
services:68% (2002)

Unemployment rate

11.7% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 124

Population below poverty line

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:NA%

Budget

revenues: $865 million
expenditures:$644.1 million (1999)

Taxes and other revenues

14.2% of GDP (1999)
country comparison to the world: 193

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

3.6% of GDP (1999)
country comparison to the world: 16

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.1% (2007)
country comparison to the world: 27 1.1% (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Agriculture – products

fish

coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee

poultry, beef, dairy products

Industries

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Electricity – production

670 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153

Electricity – consumption

623.1 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Electricity – exports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity – imports

0 kWh (2009 est.)

Oil – production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

Oil – consumption

8,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Oil – exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173

Oil – imports

6,611 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148

Oil – proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134

Natural gas – production

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 185

Natural gas – consumption

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178

Natural gas – exports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99

Natural gas – imports

0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122

Natural gas – proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139

Exports

$211 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178

Exports – commodities

cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat

Imports

$1.706 billion (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

Imports – commodities

fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

Debt – external

$NA

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -
87.59 (2007)
94.97 (2006)
95.89 (2005)
96.04 (2004)
105.66 (2003)

Transportation

Airports

53 (2010)
country comparison to the world:89

Airports – with paved runways

total: 46
over 3,047 m:2
1,524 to 2,437 m:4
914 to 1,523 m:33
under 914 m:7 (2010)

Airports – with unpaved runways

total: 7
914 to 1,523 m:3
under 914 m:4 (2010)

Heliports

1 (2010)

Roadways

total: 2,590 km
country comparison to the world: 170 paved:1,735 km
unpaved:855 km (1999)

Merchant marine

registered in other countries: 13 (Cambodia 1, France 12) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 109

Ports and terminals

Papeete

Military

Military branches

no regular military forces (2011)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 82,722 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 67,363
females age 16-49:66,053 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 2,498
female:2,390 (2010 est.)

Military – note

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues

Disputes – international

none