ARCHIVE // PF // 1998

French Polynesia

1998 Edition — territory

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Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]
coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products
Budget [time series]
revenues: $636 million expenditures: $643 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)
Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]
1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Debt - external (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 small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory will continue to benefit from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs.
Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]
79,000 kW (1995)
Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]
1,500 kWh (1995)
Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]
330 million kWh (1995)
Exchange rates [time series]
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1-110.60 (January 1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993); 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 Communications
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.)
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.)
Unemployment rate [time series]
15% (1992 est.)
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls) land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km
Area - comparative (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 (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 (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
Government
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 Paul RONCIERE (since NA 1994) head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Justin ARAPARI (since 13 May 1996) 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-UC 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); 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 Pupu Here Ai'a Party) [Jean JUVENTIN]; Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (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]; Te e'a No Maohi Nui [Jean-Marius RAAPOTO]; Pupu Taina [Michel LAW]; Entente Polynesian [Arthur CHUNG]; Centrist Union or UC
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Military
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
French Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Military - note (Military-note) [time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 33% (male 40,264; female 38,770) 15-64 years: 62% (male 77,011; female 71,100) 65 years and over: 5% (male 5,347; female 5,352) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
22.67 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate [time series]
5 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
Infant mortality rate [time series]
13.67 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages [time series]
French (official), Tahitian (official)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 72.25 years male: 69.87 years female: 74.75 years (1998 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]
0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population [time series]
237,844 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
1.81% (1998 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: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.71 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]
none FRENCH SOUTHERN AND ANTARCTIC LANDS (overseas territory of France)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
43 (1997 est.)
Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]
total: 25 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 4 (1997 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]
total: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 11 (1997 est.)
Roadways (Highways) [time series]
total: 792 km paved: 792 km (1995 est.)
Merchant marine [time series]
total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,127 GRT/6,710 DWT ships by type: passenger-cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (1997 est.)
Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]
Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
Railways [time series]
0 km