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Australia-Oceania :: Wallis and Futuna

(overseas collectivity of France)

page last updated on July 31, 2009

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Introduction ::Wallis and Futuna

Background:

Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.

The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but 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.

Geography ::Wallis and Futuna

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: 142 sq km

country comparison to the world: 227

land: 142 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

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

129 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 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 (on Futuna) 765 m

Natural resources:

NEGL

Land use:

arable land: 7.14%

permanent crops: 35.71%

other: 57.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:

Natural hazards:

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

People ::Wallis and Futuna

Population:

15,289 (July 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 221

Age structure:

0-14 years: 26.7% (male 2,141/female 1,935)

15-64 years: 66.3% (male 5,069/female 5,065)

65 years and over: 7.1% (male 488/female 591) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 27.2 years

male: 26.1 years

female: 28.5 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

0.347% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 169

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

-6.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population

country comparison to the world: 170

note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 0% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.11 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 5.02 deaths/1,000 live births

country comparison to the world: 190

male: 5.27 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.75 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 78.2 years

country comparison to the world: 49

male: 75.22 years

female: 81.32 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

1.87 children born/woman (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

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 99%, other 1%

Languages:

Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 50%

male: 50%

female: 50% (1969 est.)

Government ::Wallis and Futuna

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

Government type:

Capital:

name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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:

4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:

the laws of France, where applicable, apply

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Administrator Philippe PAOLANTONI (since 28 July 2008)

head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Pesamino TAPUTAI (since 11 April 2007)

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 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

Legislative branch:

unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 1 April 2007 (next to be held April 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13, other 7

note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate - elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held by September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 17 June 2007 (next to be held by 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - PS 1

Judicial branch:

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; a court of appeal is located in Noumea, New Caledonia

Political parties and leaders:

Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

Political pressure groups and leaders:

International organization participation:

PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU

Diplomatic representation in the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:

unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is the only official flag

Economy ::Wallis and Futuna

Economy - overview:

The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of 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):

$60 million (2004 est.)

country comparison to the world: 222

GDP (official exchange rate):

$NA

GDP - real growth rate:

NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$3,800 (2004 est.)

country comparison to the world: 159

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: NA%

industry: NA%

services: NA%

Labor force:

3,104 (2003)

country comparison to the world: 217

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 80%

industry: 4%

services: 16% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate:

15.2% (2003)

country comparison to the world: 155

Population below poverty line:

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Budget:

revenues: $29,730

expenditures: $31,330 (2004)

Public debt:

5.6% of GDP (2004 est.)

country comparison to the world: 120

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

2.8% (2005)

country comparison to the world: 35

Agriculture - products:

breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish

Industries:

copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:

NA%

Electricity - production:

NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:

NA kWh

Electricity - exports:

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:

0 kWh (2002)

Exports:

$47,450 f.o.b. (2004)

country comparison to the world: 225

Exports - commodities:

copra, chemicals, construction materials

Imports:

$61.17 million f.o.b. (2004)

country comparison to the world: 218

Imports - commodities:

chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods

Debt - external:

$3.67 million (2004)

country comparison to the world: 199

Exchange rates:

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)

Communications ::Wallis and Futuna

Telephones - main lines in use:

1,900 (2002)

country comparison to the world: 225

Telephones - mobile cellular:

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 hosts:

1 (2008)

country comparison to the world: 227

Internet users:

900 (2002)

country comparison to the world: 216

Transportation ::Wallis and Futuna

Airports:

2 (2008)

country comparison to the world: 203

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2008)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2008)

Merchant marine:

total: 8

country comparison to the world: 122

by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 6

foreign-owned: 8 (France 6, French Polynesia 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals:

Leava, Mata-Utu

Military ::Wallis and Futuna

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 3,273

females age 16-49: 3,297 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 175

female: 164 (2009 est.)

Military - note:

defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues ::Wallis and Futuna

Disputes - international:

none

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