ARCHIVE // PF // 2006
French Polynesia
2006 Edition — territory
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Communications
Internet country code
[time series]
.pf
Internet users
(Internet hosts)
[time series]
14,047 (2006)
Internet users
[time series]
55,000 (2005)
Broadcast media
(Radio broadcast stations)
[time series]
AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)
Telecommunication systems
(Telephone system)
[time series]
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - fixed lines
(Telephones - main lines in use)
[time series]
53,400 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
87,000 (2005)
Broadcast media
(Television broadcast stations)
[time series]
7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Economy
Agricultural products
(Agriculture - products)
[time series]
coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $865 million expenditures: $644.1 million; including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)
Exchange rates
(Currency (code))
[time series]
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Debt - external
[time series]
$NA
Economic aid
(Economic aid - recipient)
[time series]
$580 million (2004)
Economic overview
(Economy - overview)
[time series]
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.
Electricity - consumption
[time series]
459.2 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports
[time series]
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports
[time series]
0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production
[time series]
493.7 million kWh (2003)
Exchange rates
[time series]
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001) note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Exports
[time series]
$211 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities
[time series]
cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat
Exports - partners
[time series]
France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2005)
Fiscal year
[time series]
calendar year
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
NA
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
(GDP (purchasing power parity))
[time series]
$4.58 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
(GDP - composition by sector)
[time series]
agriculture: 3.1% industry: 19% services: 76.9% (2002)
Real GDP per capita
(GDP - per capita (PPP))
[time series]
$17,500 (2003 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
(GDP - real growth rate)
[time series]
NA% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
[time series]
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
[time series]
$1.706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities
[time series]
fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
Imports - partners
[time series]
France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2005)
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
NA%
Industries
[time series]
tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
1.1% (2006 est.)
Labor force
[time series]
65,870 (December 2005)
Labor force - by occupation
[time series]
agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2002)
Natural gas - consumption
[time series]
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Natural gas - production
[time series]
0 cu m (2003 est.)
Oil - consumption
[time series]
4,800 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports
[time series]
NA bbl/day
Oil - imports
[time series]
NA bbl/day
Oil - production
[time series]
0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line
[time series]
NA%
Unemployment rate
[time series]
11.8% (1994)
Geography
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 (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]
10 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries
[time series]
0 km
Land use
[time series]
arable land: 0.75% permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005)
Location
[time series]
Oceania, archipelagoes 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]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia
Capital
[time series]
name: Papeete geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution
[time series]
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Country name
[time series]
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
Dependency status
[time series]
overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
none (overseas lands of France)
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
none (overseas lands 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 Anne BOQUET (since September 2005) head of government: President 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 for five-year terms (no term limits)
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 - note
[time series]
under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister
Government type
[time series]
NA
Independence
[time series]
none (overseas lands of France)
International organization participation
[time series]
FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, 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 (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 in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1
National holiday
[time series]
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Political parties
(Political parties and leaders)
[time series]
Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); 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]; Union for Democracy or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]
Political parties
(Political pressure groups and leaders)
[time series]
NA
Suffrage
[time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
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. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.
Military
Manpower available for military service
[time series]
males age 18-49: 69,679 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
[time series]
males age 18-49: 55,305 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually
[time series]
males age 18-49: 2,747 (2005 est.)
Military - note
[time series]
defense is the responsibility of France
Military and security forces
(Military branches)
[time series]
no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force
People
Age structure
[time series]
0-14 years: 26.1% (male 36,541/female 34,999) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 96,769/female 89,593) 65 years and over: 6.1% (male 8,428/female 8,248) (2006 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
16.68 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate
[time series]
4.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 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]
total: 8.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Languages
[time series]
French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 76.1 years male: 73.69 years female: 78.63 years (2006 est.)
Literacy
[time series]
definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)
Median age
[time series]
total: 27.9 years male: 28.2 years female: 27.5 years (2006 est.)
Nationality
[time series]
noun: French Polynesian(s) adjective: French Polynesian
Net migration rate
[time series]
2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Population
[time series]
274,578 (July 2006 est.)
Population growth rate
[time series]
1.48% (2006 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: 1.08 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
2.01 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
[time series]
none
Transportation
Airports
[time series]
51 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
[time series]
total: 39 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
[time series]
total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2006)
Heliports
[time series]
1 (2006)
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWT by type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 1 (France 1) registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2006)
Ports
(Ports and terminals)
[time series]
Papeete
Roadways
[time series]
total: 2,590 km paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999)