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| Wallis and Futuna |

Introduction | Wallis and Futuna

Background: | 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: 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
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 765 m
Natural resources: | NEGL
Land use: | arable land: 7.14% permanent crops: 35.71% other: 57.15% (2005)
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

People | Wallis and Futuna

Population: | 16,025 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)
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 note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: NA male: NA female: NA
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
HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 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 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: | 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: | 4 October 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 Xavier DE FURST (since 18 January 2005)
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since 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
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 11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 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 27 September 1998 (next to be held by 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

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 (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; 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: | SPC, UPU
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% 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.)
GDP (official exchange rate): | NA
GDP - real growth rate: | NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP): | $3,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Labor force: | NA
Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate: | NA%
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | NA%
Budget: | revenues: $20 million expenditures: $17 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Agriculture - products: | breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish
Industries: | copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber
Industrial production growth rate: | NA%
Electricity - production: | NA kWh
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 0% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0%
Electricity - consumption: | NA kWh
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2002)
Exports: | $250,000 f.o.b. (1999)
Exports - commodities: | copra, chemicals, construction materials
Exports - partners: | Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2004)
Imports: | $300,000 f.o.b. (1999)
Imports - commodities: | chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods
Imports - partners: | France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2004)
Debt - external: | $NA
Economic aid - recipient: | assistance from France
Currency (code): | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code: | XPF
Exchange rates: | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Wallis and Futuna

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)
Radios: | NA
Television broadcast stations: | 2 (2000)
Televisions: | NA
Internet country code: | .wf
Internet hosts: | 1 (2005)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000)
Internet users: | 900 (2002)

Transportation | Wallis and Futuna

Airports: | 2 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005)
Merchant marine: | total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 106,003 GRT/56,674 DWT by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 5 foreign-owned: 5 (France 4, US 1) (2005)
Ports and terminals: | Leava, Mata-Utu

Military | Wallis and Futuna

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of France

Transnational Issues | Wallis and Futuna

Disputes - international: | none

This page was last updated on 29 March, 2006