from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Wallis and Futuna
Introduction
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
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about
two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Geographic 13 18 S, 176 12 W
coordinates:
Map Oceania
references:
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 - 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
comparative:
Land 0 km
boundaries:
Coastline: 129 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: 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 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
extremes: highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m
Natural NEGL
resources:
Land use: arable land: 7.14%
permanent crops: 35.71%
other: 57.15% (2005)
Irrigated NA
land:
Natural NA
hazards:
Environment - deforestation (only small portions of the original
current forests remain) largely as a result of the continued
issues: 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 - both island groups have fringing reefs
note:
People
Population: 16,025 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA (2006 est.)
Population NA
growth rate:
Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population
Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population
Net migration NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
rate: note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and
Futuna to New Caledonia (2006 est.)
Infant total: NA
mortality male: NA
rate: female: NA
Life total population: NA years
expectancy at male: NA years
birth: female: NA years
Total NA children born/woman
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - NA
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - NA
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
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 overseas territory of France
status:
Government NA
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 none (overseas territory of France); there are no
divisions: 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 Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
holiday:
Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: French legal system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
branch: (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator
Richard DIDIER (since 19 July 2006)
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 unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
branch: 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 in 2007); results
- percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (UMP) 1
Judicial none; justice generally administered under French law
branch: by the high administrator, but the three traditional
kings administer customary law and there is a
magistrate in Mata-Utu
Political Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de
parties and Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP)
leaders: [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 NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International SPC, UPU
organization
participation:
Diplomatic none (overseas territory of France)
representation
in the US:
Diplomatic none (overseas territory of France)
representation
from the US:
Flag unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white
description: 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
Economy - The economy is limited to traditional subsistence
overview: 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 $60 million (2004 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official NA
exchange
rate):
GDP - real NA%
growth rate:
GDP - per $3,800 (2004 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: NA%
composition by industry: NA%
sector: services: NA%
Labor force: NA 3,104
Labor force - agriculture: 80%
by occupation: industry: 4%
services: 16% (2001 est.)
Unemployment 15.2% NA%
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 2.8% NA%
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $29,730
expenditures: $31,330 (1998 est.)
Public debt: 5.6% of GDP
Agriculture - breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish
products:
Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber
Industrial NA%
production
growth rate:
Electricity - NA kWh
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 0%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0%
Electricity - NA kWh
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2002)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2002)
imports:
Exports: $47,450 f.o.b. (2004)
Exports - copra, chemicals, construction materials
commodities:
Exports - Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2004)
partners:
Imports: $61.17 million f.o.b. (2004)
Imports - chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods
commodities:
Imports - France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2004)
partners:
Debt - $3.67 million $NA
external:
Economic aid - assistance from France
recipient:
Currency Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
(code):
Currency code: XPF
Exchange Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
rates: dollar - 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003),
126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 1,900 (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 0 (1994)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: NA
system: domestic: NA
international: country code - 681
Radio AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: NA
Television 2 (2000)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: NA
Internet .wf
country code:
Internet 1 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 1 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 900 (2002)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 1
with paved 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Airports - total: 1
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Merchant total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 110,428 GRT/56,830
marine: DWT
by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 7
foreign-owned: 8 (France 5, French Polynesia 2, US 1)
(2006)
Ports and Leava, Mata-Utu
terminals:
Military
Military - defense is the responsibility of France
note:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - none
international: