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

2 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.pf

Internet users [time series]

16,000 (2002)

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) (1996)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

XPF

Debt - external [time series]

$NA

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

$367 million (1997) (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. 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 substantially benefits from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

379.44 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

408 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 54% hydro: 46% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); 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 - $1.3 billion (2001 est.)

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

agriculture: 6% industry: 18% services: 76% (1997)

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

purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)

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

4% (2001 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) (1996)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

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

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 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 short form: Polynesie Francaise local long form: Territoire de la 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 Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001) head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001) 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

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 (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006) note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998 (next to be held NA 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 election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 1

National holiday [time series]

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

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

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) [Boris LEONTIEFF]

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]

no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 29% (male 38,184; female 36,631) 15-64 years: 65.7% (male 88,250; female 81,165) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 6,850; female 6,767) (2002 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

18.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 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]

8.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), Tahitian (official)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.23 years female: 77.69 years (2002 est.) male: 72.88 years

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]

3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population [time series]

257,847 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.67% (2002 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

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 (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.18 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Airports [time series]

45 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 37 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 8 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002)

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 (2002 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

Railways [time series]

0 km

Waterways [time series]

none