Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 5, FM 2, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

116,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

33,200 (1983 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

6

Televisions [time series]

35,000 (1992 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $713 million expenditures : $1.36 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external [time series]

$NA

Economic aid [time series]

recipient : ODA, $NA

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

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.

Electricity - capacity [time series]

NA kW

Electricity - consumption per capita [time series]

1,409 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

320 million kWh (1994)

Exchange rates [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 98.48 (January 1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Exports [time series]

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

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $1.76 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $8,000 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Imports [time series]

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

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate - consumer price index) [time series]

1.5% (1994)

Labor force [time series]

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

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% (1992 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

Climate [time series]

tropical, but moderate

Coastline [time series]

2,525 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

NA

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates [time series]

15 00 S, 140 00 W

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures : 5% forests and woodland: 31% other: 57% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

occasional cyclonic storms in January

Natural resources [time series]

timber, fish, cobalt

Terrain [time series]

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Constitution [time series]

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Country name [time series]

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 [time series]

FP

Dependency status [time series]

overseas territory of France since 1946

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of France)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Dominique BUR (since NA) 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 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

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

NA

Independence [time series]

none (overseas territory of France)

International organization participation [time series]

ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO

Judicial branch [time series]

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

Legal system [time series]

based on French system

Legislative branch [time series]

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 - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 21 and 28 March 1993 (next to be held 25 May-1 June 1997 - special election); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 2

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Papeete

National holiday [time series]

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

People's Rally for the Republic (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Polynesian Union Party (includes Te Tiarama and Here Ai'a Party) [Jean JUVENTIN]; Polynesian Liberation Front (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; 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

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of France

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 34% (male 39,958; female 38,492) 15-64 years : 62% (male 75,450; female 69,441) 65 years and over: 4% (male 5,063; female 5,084) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

23.27 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.95 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

13.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), Tahitian (official)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 72.17 years male: 69.81 years female : 74.65 years (1997 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of literacy not available total population: 98% male : 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun : French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian

Net migration rate [time series]

0.59 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Population [time series]

233,488 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.89% (1997 est.)

Religions [time series]

Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.77 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC LANDS and Antarctic Lands] (overseas territory of France)

Airports [time series]

41 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 35 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 15 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 6 914 to 1,523 m : 6 (1996 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total : 792 km paved: 792 km (1995 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total : 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,127 GRT/53,710 DWT ships by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (1996 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Railways [time series]

0 km