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Introduction |
French Polynesia |
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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. |
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Geography |
French Polynesia |
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Location: |
Oceania, archipelagoes in
the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to
Australia |
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Geographic
coordinates: |
15 00 S, 140 00 W
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Map
references: |
Oceania |
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Area: |
total:
4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km
water: 507 sq km |
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Area -
comparative: |
slightly less than
one-third the size of Connecticut |
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Land
boundaries: |
0 km |
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Coastline: |
2,525 km |
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Maritime
claims: |
territorial sea:
12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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Climate: |
tropical, but moderate
|
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Terrain: |
mixture of rugged high
islands and low islands with reefs |
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Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
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Natural
resources: |
timber, fish, cobalt,
hydropower |
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Land use: |
arable land:
0.82%
permanent crops: 5.46%
other: 93.72% (2001) |
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Irrigated
land: |
NA sq km |
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Natural
hazards: |
occasional cyclonic storms
in January |
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Environment -
current issues: |
NA |
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Geography -
note: |
includes five archipelagoes
(4 volcanic, 1 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 |
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Population: |
270,485 (July 2005 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years:
26.7% (male 36,947/female 35,403)
15-64 years: 67.4% (male 94,710/female 87,546)
65 years and over: 5.9% (male 8,018/female 7,861) (2005 est.)
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Median age: |
total:
27.48 years
male: 27.84 years
female: 27.1 years (2005 est.) |
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Population
growth rate: |
1.52% (2005 est.)
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Birth rate: |
16.93 births/1,000
population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate: |
4.63 deaths/1,000
population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration
rate: |
2.89 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2005 est.) |
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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: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
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Infant
mortality rate: |
total:
8.44 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.73 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.09 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
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Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
75.9 years
male: 73.5 years
female: 78.42 years (2005 est.) |
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Total
fertility rate: |
2.04 children born/woman
(2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS -
adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
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HIV/AIDS -
people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
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HIV/AIDS -
deaths: |
NA |
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Nationality: |
noun:
French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
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Ethnic groups: |
Polynesian 78%, Chinese
12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
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Religions: |
Protestant 54%, Roman
Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% |
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Languages: |
French 61.1% (official),
Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified
6% (2002 census) |
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Literacy: |
definition:
age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.) |
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Government |
French Polynesia |
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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 |
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Dependency
status: |
overseas lands of France;
overseas territory of France from 1946-2004
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Government
type: |
NA |
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Capital: |
Papeete |
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Administrative
divisions: |
none (overseas lands 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 |
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Independence: |
none (overseas lands of
France) |
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National
holiday: |
Bastille Day, 14 July
(1789) |
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Constitution: |
4 October 1958 (French
Constitution) |
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Legal system: |
based on French system
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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Executive
branch: |
chief of state:
President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by
High Commissioner of the Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001);
note - Michel MATHIER leaves 30 July 2005, replaced by Jacques MICHAUT
(acting high commissioner), until the arrival of Anne BOQUET in early
September 2005
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of
French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 3 March 2005); President of the
Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members
of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers
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 Territorial Government
and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members
of the assembly |
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Legislative
branch: |
unicameral Territorial
Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats - changed from 49 seats for
May 2004 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 23 May 2004 (next to be held May 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Union for Democracy 27, New
Star 1, This Country is Yours 1; after by-elections of 13 February 2005
seating was as follows: People's Rally for the Republic 27, Union for
Democracy 27, and Alliance for a New Democracy 3
note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September
1998 (next to be held September 2007); results - percent of vote by party
- NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National
Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1
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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 |
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Political
parties and leaders: |
Independent Front for the
Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland
Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of
Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te
Fetia Api) [Philippe SHYLE]; This Country is Yours (No Oe E Te Nunaa) [Nicle
BOUTEAU]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU] |
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Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
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International
organization participation: |
FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer),
UPU, WMO |
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Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
none (overseas lands of
France) |
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Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
none (overseas lands of
France) |
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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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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. |
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GDP
(purchasing power parity): |
$4.58 billion (2003 est.)
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GDP - real
growth rate: |
NA% (2001 est.)
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GDP - per
capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$17,500 (2003 est.) |
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GDP -
composition by sector: |
agriculture:
4%
industry: 18%
services: 78% (2002) |
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Labor force: |
70,000 (1996) |
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Labor force -
by occupation: |
agriculture 13%, industry
19%, services 68% (2002) |
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Unemployment
rate: |
11.8% (1994) |
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Population
below poverty line: |
NA |
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Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate
(consumer prices): |
1.5% (2002 est.)
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Budget: |
revenues:
$1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185
million (1996) |
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Agriculture -
products: |
coconuts, vanilla,
vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee |
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Industries: |
tourism, pearls,
agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates |
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Industrial
production growth rate: |
NA% |
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Electricity -
production: |
380 million kWh (2002)
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Electricity -
production by source: |
fossil fuel:
60.7%
hydro: 39.3%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity -
consumption: |
353.4 million kWh (2002)
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Electricity -
exports: |
0 kWh (2002) |
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Electricity -
imports: |
0 kWh (2002) |
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Oil -
production: |
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil -
consumption: |
4,750 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
NA |
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Oil - imports: |
NA |
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Exports: |
$244 million f.o.b. (2002)
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Exports -
commodities: |
cultured pearls, coconut
products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat |
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Exports -
partners: |
France 36.6%, Japan 22.7%,
US 16.1%, Niger 13%, Thailand 4.1% (2004) |
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Imports: |
$1.341 billion f.o.b.
(2002) |
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Imports -
commodities: |
fuels, foodstuffs,
machinery and equipment |
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Imports -
partners: |
France 47.6%, New Zealand
8.8%, Singapore 8.4%, Australia 8.3%, US 7.1% (2004) |
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Debt -
external: |
NA |
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Economic aid -
recipient: |
$367 million (1997)
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Currency
(code): |
Comptoirs Francais du
Pacifique franc (XPF) |
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Currency code: |
XPF |
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Exchange
rates: |
Comptoirs Francais du
Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71
(2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
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Communications |
French Polynesia |
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Telephones -
main lines in use: |
52,500 (2002) |
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Telephones -
mobile cellular: |
90,000 (2002) |
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Telephone
system: |
general assessment:
NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
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Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2
(1998) |
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Radios: |
128,000 (1997) |
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Television
broadcast stations: |
7 (plus 17 low-power
repeaters) (1997) |
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Televisions: |
40,000 (1997) |
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Internet
country code: |
.pf |
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Internet
hosts: |
5,123 (2003) |
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Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
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Internet
users: |
35,000 (2002) |
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Transportation |
French Polynesia |
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Highways: |
total:
2,590 km
paved: 1,735 km
unpaved: 855 km (1999) |
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Ports and
harbors: |
Papeete |
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Merchant
marine: |
total:
15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWT
by type: cargo 4, passenger 4, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated
cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1
foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) (2005) |
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Airports: |
50 (2004 est.) |
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Airports -
with paved runways: |
total:
37
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) |
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Airports -
with unpaved runways: |
total:
13
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports: |
1 (2004 est.) |
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Military |
French Polynesia |
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Military
branches: |
no regular military forces;
Gendarmerie and National Police Force |
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Military -
note: |
defense is the
responsibility of France |
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Transnational Issues |
French Polynesia |
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Disputes -
international: |
none |
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