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Background:
|
 Although
discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and 18th
centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate over
the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands
voted to become a French overseas territory. |
|
Location:
|
Oceania, islands
in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from
Hawaii to New Zealand |
|
Geographic coordinates:
|
13 18 S, 176 12 W |
|
Map references:
|
Oceania |
|
Area:
|
total: 274
sq km
note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna
Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
water: 0 sq km
land: 274 sq km |
|
Area - comparative:
|
1.5 times the
size of Washington, DC |
|
Land boundaries:
|
0 km |
|
Coastline:
|
129 km |
|
Climate:
|
tropical; hot,
rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to
October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity);
average temperature 26.6 degrees C |
|
Terrain:
|
volcanic origin;
low hills |
|
Elevation extremes:
|
lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m |
|
Natural resources:
|
NEGL |
|
Land use:
|
arable land:
5%
permanent crops: 20%
other: 75% (1998 est.) |
|
Irrigated land:
|
NA sq km |
|
Natural hazards:
|
NA |
|
Environment - current issues:
|
deforestation
(only small portions of the original forests remain) largely
as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel
source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the
mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to
erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because
of the lack of natural fresh water resources |
|
Geography - note:
|
both island
groups have fringing reefs |
|
Population:
|
15,880 (July 2004
est.) |
|
Age structure:
|
0-14 years:
NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% (2004 est.) |
|
Population growth rate:
|
NA (2004 est.) |
|
Birth rate:
|
NA births/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate:
|
NA deaths/1,000
population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate:
|
NA migrant(s)/1,000
population
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and
Futuna to New Caledonia (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate:
|
total: NA%
male: NA%
female: NA% (2004 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth:
|
total
population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years (2004 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|
NA% |
|
Nationality:
|
noun:
Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna
Islander |
|
Ethnic groups:
|
Polynesian |
|
Religions:
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Roman Catholic
99%, other 1% |
|
Languages:
|
French, Wallisian
(indigenous Polynesian language) |
|
Literacy:
|
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50%
male: 50%
female: 50% (1969 est.) |
|
Country name:
|
conventional
long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
conventional short form: Wallis and Futuna
local short form: Wallis et Futuna
local long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna |
|
Dependency status:
|
overseas
territory of France |
|
Government type:
|
NA |
|
Capital:
|
Mata-Utu (on Ile
Uvea) |
|
Administrative divisions:
|
none (overseas
territory of France); there are no first-order administrative
divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three
kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis |
|
Independence:
|
none (overseas
territory of France) |
|
National holiday:
|
Bastille Day, 14
July (1789) |
|
Constitution:
|
28 September 1958
(French Constitution) |
|
Legal system:
|
French legal
system |
|
Executive branch:
|
chief of
state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May
1995), represented by High Administrator Christian JOB (since
6 August 2002)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for
a five-year term; high administrator appointed by the French
president on the advice of the French Ministry of the
Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the
Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the
assembly
note: there are three traditional kings with limited
powers
head of government: President of the Territorial
Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since NA January 2001)
cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three
kings and three members appointed by the high administrator on
the advice of the Territorial Assembly |
|
Legislative branch:
|
unicameral
Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held NA
March 2007)
note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the
French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly;
French Senate - elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to
be held by NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats - RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly
- elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held by NA
2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR
(UMP) 1
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7 |
|
Judicial branch:
|
none; justice
generally administered under French law by the high
administrator, but the three traditional kings administer
customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu |
|
Political parties and leaders:
|
Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians)
[leader NA]; Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG [leader
NA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU];
Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or
UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF
[leader NA] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders:
|
NA |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US:
|
none (overseas
territory of France) |
|
Diplomatic representation from the US:
|
none (overseas
territory of France) |
|
Economy - overview:
|
The economy is
limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80%
labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and
vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of
the population is employed in government. Revenues come from
French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to
Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from
expatriate workers in New Caledonia. |
|
GDP:
|
purchasing power
parity - $57.6 million (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate:
|
NA% |
|
GDP - per capita:
|
purchasing power
parity - $3,700 (2001 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector:
|
agriculture:
NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
|
Population below poverty line:
|
NA% (2001 est.) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|
NA% |
|
Labor force:
|
NA |
|
Labor force - by occupation:
|
agriculture,
livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate:
|
NA% |
|
Budget:
|
revenues:
$20 million
expenditures: $17 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
|
Industries:
|
copra,
handicrafts, fishing, lumber |
|
Industrial production growth rate:
|
NA% |
|
Electricity - production:
|
NA kWh |
|
Electricity - production by source:
|
fossil fuel:
0%
hydro: 0%
other: 0%
nuclear: 0% |
|
Electricity - consumption:
|
NA kWh |
|
Agriculture - products:
|
breadfruit, yams,
taro, bananas; pigs, goats |
|
Exports:
|
$250,000 f.o.b.
(1999) |
|
Exports - commodities:
|
copra, chemicals,
construction materials |
|
Exports - partners:
|
Italy 40%,
Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% |
|
Imports:
|
$300,000 f.o.b.
(1999) |
|
Imports - commodities:
|
chemicals,
machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods |
|
Imports - partners:
|
France 97%,
Australia 2%, New Zealand 1% |
|
Debt - external:
|
$NA |
|
Economic aid - recipient:
|
assistance from
France |
|
Currency:
|
Comptoirs
Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) |
|
Currency code:
|
XPF |
|
Exchange rates:
|
Comptoirs
Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 105.73
(2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93
(1999), 107.25 (1998) |
|
Fiscal year:
|
calendar year |
|
Telephones - main lines in use:
|
1,900 (2002) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular:
|
0 (1994) |
|
Telephone system:
|
general
assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 681 |
|
Radio broadcast stations:
|
AM 1, FM 0,
shortwave 0 (2000) |
|
Television broadcast stations:
|
2 (2000) |
|
Internet country code:
|
.wf |
|
Internet users:
|
900 (2002) |
|
Railways:
|
0 km |
|
Highways:
|
total: 120
km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea)
unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km) |
|
Waterways:
|
none |
|
Ports and harbors:
|
Leava, Mata-Utu |
|
Merchant marine:
|
total: 6
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 134,037 GRT/14,271 DWT
by type: passenger 6
foreign-owned: France 3, Greece 1, Monaco 1, United
States 1 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports:
|
2 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways:
|
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports - with unpaved runways:
|
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
|
Military - note:
|
defense is the
responsibility of France |
|
Disputes - international:
|
none |
This page was last updated on 11 May, 2004
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