| 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 |
| Area: |
total:
274 sq km
land: 274 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile
Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets |
| Area
- comparative: |
1.5 times the
size of Washington, DC |
| Maritime
claims: |
exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| 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 |
| Land
use: |
arable land:
5%
permanent crops: 20%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 75% (1993 est.) |
| 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: |
15,435 (July 2001
est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
NA%
15-64 years: NA%
65 years and over: NA% |
| Population
growth rate: |
NA% |
| Birth
rate: |
NA births/1,000
population |
| Death
rate: |
NA deaths/1,000
population |
| Net
migration rate: |
NA migrant(s)/1,000
population |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
NA deaths/1,000
live births |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: NA years
male: NA years
female: NA years |
| Total
fertility rate: |
NA children
born/woman |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
NA% |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and
Futuna Islander |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Polynesian |
| Religions: |
Roman Catholic
100% |
| 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 long form: Territoire des Iles Wallis et
Futuna
local short form: Wallis et Futuna |
| Dependency
status: |
overseas
territory of France |
| 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 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 |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since
17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Christian
DORS (since NA)
head of government: President of the
Territorial Assembly Soane UHILA (since NA)
cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of
three kings and three members appointed by the high
administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly
note: there are three traditional kings with
limited powers
elections: French president elected by popular
vote for a seven-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 |
| Legislative
branch: |
unicameral
Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms)
elections: last held 16 March 1997 (next to be
held NA March 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - RPR 14, other 6
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 1; French
National Assembly - elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997
(next to be held by NA March 2002); results - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats - RPR 1 |
| 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 |
| International
organization participation: |
FZ, SPC |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
none (overseas
territory of France) |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
none (overseas
territory of France) |
| Flag
description: |
a large white
modified Maltese cross centered on a red background; the
flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the
upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for
official occasions |
| Economy
- overview: |
The economy is
limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about
80% of the labor force earning its livelihood 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 - $30 million (1997 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
NA% |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $2,000 (1997 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
NA% |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture,
livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (est.) |
| 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:
NA%
hydro: NA%
nuclear: NA%
other: NA% |
| 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% |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
assistance from
France |
| Currency: |
Comptoirs
Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Comptoirs
Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 1127.11
(January 2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998),
106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - linked at the rate of
119.25 XPF to the euro |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
1,125 (1994) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
0 (1994) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: NA |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 1, FM 0,
shortwave 0 (2000) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
2 (2000) |
| Internet
country code: |
.wf |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 (2000) |
| 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) |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Leava, Mata-Utu |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 48,853 GRT/43,128 DWT
ships by type: passenger 3, petroleum tanker 1
note: includes some foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of convenience: France 1 (2000
est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
- note: |
defense is the
responsibility of France |
| Disputes
- international: |
none |
|
