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Australia-Oceania :: French Polynesia (overseas lands of France)

- ## Introduction :: FRENCH POLYNESIA

- Background:
  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 halted in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.

- ## Geography :: FRENCH POLYNESIA

- Location:
  Oceania, five archipelagoes (Archipel des Tuamotu, Iles Gambier, Iles Marquises, Iles Tubuai, Society Islands) in the South Pacific Ocean about halfway between South America and Australia
  Geographic coordinates:
  15 00 S, 140 00 W
  Map references:
  Oceania
  Area:
  total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls; 67 are inhabited)
  land: 3,827 sq km
  water: 340 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 175
  Area - comparative:
  slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
  Land boundaries:
  0 km
  Coastline:
  2,525 km
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  Climate:
  tropical, but moderate
  Terrain:
  mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs
  Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m
  Natural resources:
  timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower
  Land use:
  agricultural land: 12.5%
  arable land 0.7%; permanent crops 6.3%; permanent pasture 5.5%
  forest: 43.7%
  other: 43.8% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  10 sq km (2003)
  Natural hazards:
  occasional cyclonic storms in January
  Environment - current issues:
  NA
  Geography - note:
  includes five archipelagoes: four volcanic (Iles Gambier, Iles Marquises, Iles Tubuai, Society Islands) and one coral (Archipel des Tuamotu); 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

- ## People and Society :: FRENCH POLYNESIA

- Nationality:
  noun: French Polynesian(s)
  adjective: French Polynesian
  Ethnic groups:
  Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%
  Languages:
  French (official) 61.1%, Polynesian (official) 31.4%, Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)
  Religions:
  Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%
  Population:
  282,703 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 182
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.31% (male 33,894/female 32,005)
  15-24 years: 16.36% (male 23,980/female 22,270)
  25-54 years: 44.1% (male 63,931/female 60,749)
  55-64 years: 8.83% (male 12,847/female 12,120)
  65 years and over: 7.4% (male 10,142/female 10,765) (2015 est.)
  population pyramid:
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 42.2%
  youth dependency ratio: 31.5%
  elderly dependency ratio: 10.7%
  potential support ratio: 9.3% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 31 years
  male: 30.9 years
  female: 31.2 years (2015 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  0.94% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 122
  Birth rate:
  15.22 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 131
  Death rate:
  5.02 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 189
  Net migration rate:
  -0.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 145
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 55.9% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 0.85% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  PAPEETE (capital) 133,000 (2014)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 177
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.98 years
  male: 74.72 years
  female: 79.36 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 75
  Total fertility rate:
  1.92 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 133
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 98.5% of population
  rural: 98.5% of population
  total: 98.5% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 1.5% of population
  rural: 1.5% of population
  total: 1.5% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
  total: 34.2%
  male: 31.4%
  female: 38.5% (2007 est.)

- ## Government :: FRENCH POLYNESIA

- Country name:
  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
  etymology: the term Polynesia is an 18th-century construct composed of two Greek words, "poly" (many) and "nesoi" (islands), and refers to the hundreds of islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean
  Dependency status:
  overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2003; overseas collectivity of France since 2003, though it is often referred to as an overseas country due to its degree of autonomy
  Government type:
  parliamentary representative democratic French overseas collectivity
  Capital:
  name: Papeete (located on Tahiti)
  geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W
  time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
  Administrative divisions:
  none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 second order administrative units named Iles Australes, Iles du Vent, Iles Marquises, Iles Sous le Vent, Iles Tuamotu et Gambier
  Independence:
  none (overseas lands of France)
  National holiday:
  Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1789); note - the local holiday is Internal Autonomy Day, 29 June (1880)
  Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
  Legal system:
  the laws of France, where applicable, apply
  Citizenship:
  see France
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Lionel BEFFRE (since 16 September 2013)
  head of government: President of French Polynesia Edouard FRITCH (since 12 September 2014)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers approved by the Assembly from a list of its members submitted by the president
  elections/appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; French Polynesia president indirectly elected by Assembly of French Polynesia for a 5-year term (no term limits)
  Legislative branch:
  description: unicameral Assembly of French Polynesia or Assemblee de la Polynesie Francaise (57 seats; elections held in two rounds; in the second round, 38 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote; the party receiving the most votes get an additional 19 seats; to serve 5-year terms)
  note: two seats were elected to the French Senate for a 6-year term on 20 September 2014 (next to be held in September 2022); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Popular Rally 1, People's Servant Party 1; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly for a 5-year term on 17 June 2012 (next to be held by June 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2; note - the UMP is France's ruling pary, the Union for a Popular Movement
  elections: last held on 21 April 2013 and 5 May 2013 (next to be held in 2018)
  election results: percent of vote by party - Popular Rally 45.1%, UPD 29.3%, A Tia Porinetia 25.6%; seats by party - Popular Rally 38, UPD 11, A Tia Porinetia 8
  Judicial branch:
  highest court(s): Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel (composition NA); note - appeals beyond the French Polynesia Court of Appeal are heard by the Court of Cassation (in Paris)
  judge selection and term of office: NA
  subordinate courts: Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif
  Political parties and leaders:
  A Tia Porinetia [Teva ROHFRITSCH]
  Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN (includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours)
  New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]
  Our Home alliance
  People's Servant Party (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]
  Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]
  Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU]
  International organization participation:
  ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas lands of France)
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas lands of France)
  Flag description:
  two red horizontal bands encase a wide white band in a 1:2:1 ratio; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern depicting the sea on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern depicting the sun on the upper half; a Polynesian canoe rides on the wave pattern; the canoe has a crew of five represented by five stars that symbolize the five island groups; red and white are traditional Polynesian colors
  note: similar to the red-white-red flag of Tahiti, the largest of the islands in French Polynesia, which has no emblem in the white band; the flag of France is used for official occasions
  National symbol(s):
  outrigger canoe; national colors: red, white
  National anthem:
  name: "Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" (Long Live Tahiti Nui)
  lyrics/music: Maeva BOUGES, Irmine TEHEI, Angele TEROROTUA, Johanna NOUVEAU, Patrick AMARU, Louis MAMATUI, and Jean-Pierre CELESTIN (the compositional group created both the lyrics and music)
  note: adopted 1993; serves as a local anthem; as a territory of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)
  Government - note:
  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

- ## Economy :: FRENCH POLYNESIA

- Economy - overview:
  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. After growing at an average yearly rate of 4.2% from 1997-2007, GDP stagnated in 2008 and fell by 4.2% in 2009, marking French Polynesia’s entry into recession. GDP growth was positive in 2010-12. Following steady employment level increases between 2002 and 2007 that averaged 2.4% yearly, the number of workers fell by an annual average of 2.2% between 2008 and 2013, due in part to decreased tourism (down an average of 4% per year) in that time period. French Polynesia’s tourism-dominated service sector accounted for 85% of total value added for the economy in 2009, employing 80% of the workforce. A small manufacturing sector predominantly processes products from French Polynesia’s primary sector - 3% of total economy - including agriculture, pearl farming, and fishing.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $7.15 billion (2012 est.)
  $6.982 billion (2011 est.)
  $6.963 billion (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 165
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $7.15 billion (2012 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  2.4% (2012 est.)
  0.3% (2011 est.)
  2.2% (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 136
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $26,100 (2012 est.)
  $26,000 (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 67
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 2.5%
  industry: 13%
  services: 84.5% (2009)
  Agriculture - products:
  coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products; fish
  Industries:
  tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates
  Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%
  Labor force:
  114,300 (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 182
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 13%
  industry: 19%
  services: 68% (2013 est.)
  Unemployment rate:
  21.8% (2012)
  11.7% (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 170
  Population below poverty line:
  19.7% (2009 est.)
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%
  Budget:
  revenues: $1.891 billion
  expenditures: $1.833 billion (2011)
  Taxes and other revenues:
  26.4% of GDP (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 108
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  0.8% of GDP (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 32
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.1% (2013 est.)
  1.5% (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 66
  Market value of publicly traded shares:
  $NA
  Exports:
  $230 million (2013 est.)
  $211 million (2005 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 185
  Exports - commodities:
  cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat
  Exports - partners:
  Japan 35%, US 24%, Hong Kong 17%, France 9.1%, China 4.2% (2014)
  Imports:
  $1.72 billion (2013 est.)
  $1.706 billion (2005 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 169
  Imports - commodities:
  fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment
  Imports - partners:
  France 24%, South Korea 10%, China 9.6%, USA 9.3%, New Zealand 8.5%, Singapore 8.2%, Australia 4% (2014)
  Debt - external:
  $NA
  Exchange rates:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -
  89.85 (2013 est.)
  90.56 2012 est.)
  85.74 (2011 est.)
  90.01 (2010 est.)

- ## Energy :: FRENCH POLYNESIA

- Electricity - production:
  702 million kWh (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 158
  Electricity - consumption:
  652.9 million kWh (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 167
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 140
  Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 151
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  224,000 kW (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 160
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  79% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 94
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 94
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  21% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 90
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 173
  Crude oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 138
  Crude oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 127
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 192
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 136
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 184
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  7,000 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 159
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 179
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  6,994 bbl/day (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 145
  Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 189
  Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 145
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 100
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 198
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 140
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  1.071 million Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 166

- ## Communications :: FRENCH POLYNESIA

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 55,000
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 159
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 239,700
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 86 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 180
  Telephone system:
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular density is roughly 100 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2011)
  Broadcast media:
  the publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts on 2 TV channels and 1 radio station; 1 government-owned TV station; a small number of privately owned radio stations (2008)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)
  Television broadcast stations:
  7 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997)
  Internet country code:
  .pf
  Internet users:
  total: 161,100
  percent of population: 57.5% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 163

- ## Transportation :: FRENCH POLYNESIA

- Airports:
  54 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 87
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 45
  over 3,047 m: 2
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
  914 to 1,523 m: 33
  under 914 m: 5 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 9
  914 to 1,523 m: 4
  under 914 m:
  5 (2013)
  Heliports:
  1 (2013)
  Roadways:
  total: 2,590 km
  paved: 1,735 km
  unpaved: 855 km (1999)
  country comparison to the world: 172
  Merchant marine:
  registered in other countries: 12 (Cambodia 1, France 11) (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 107
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Papeete

- ## Military :: FRENCH POLYNESIA

- Military branches:
  no regular military forces (2011)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 82,722 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 67,363
  females age 16-49: 66,053 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 2,498
  female: 2,390 (2010 est.)
  Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

- ## Transnational Issues :: FRENCH POLYNESIA

- Disputes - international:
  none

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