Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

2 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.pf

Internet users [time series]

5,000 (2000)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios [time series]

128,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

52,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

5,427 (1997)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

40,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $1 billion expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

XPF

Debt - external [time series]

$NA

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$367 million (1997)

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 one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefited from a five-year (1994-98) development agreement with France aimed principally at creating new jobs.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

399.9 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production [time series]

430 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 51.16% hydro: 48.84% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Exchange rates [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Exports [time series]

$205 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities [time series]

cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997)

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 62%, US 21% (1999)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $2.6 billion (1997 est.)

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

agriculture: 4% industry: 18% services: 78% (1997)

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

purchasing power parity - $10,800 (1997 est.)

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

2.5% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$749 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities [time series]

fuels, foodstuffs, equipment

Imports - partners [time series]

France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1.5% (1994)

Labor force [time series]

70,000 (1996)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

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: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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, hydropower

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

Capital [time series]

Papeete

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 former: French Colony of Oceania

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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (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: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-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

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 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 22, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 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

National holiday [time series]

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

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

Centrist Union or UC [leader NA]; 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 (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]

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

NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

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.

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: 29.74% (male 38,473; female 36,925) 15-64 years: 65.17% (male 86,128; female 79,076) 65 years and over: 5.09% (male 6,481; female 6,423) (2001 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

18.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), Tahitian (official)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.01 years male: 72.67 years female: 77.46 years (2001 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Nationality [time series]

noun: French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian

Net migration rate [time series]

3.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population [time series]

253,506 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.72% (2001 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: 1.01 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.23 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

45 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 32 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 792 km paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240 GRT/7,765 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

none