Wallis and Futuna

(overseas territory of France)

Geography

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Map references: Oceania

Area:
total area: 274 sq km
land area: 274 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC
note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 129 km

Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October)

Terrain: volcanic origin; low hills

Natural resources: negligible

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 20%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 75%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

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
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: NA

Note: both island groups have fringing reefs

People

Population: 14,499 (July 1995 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population growth rate: 1.11% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 25.06 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.14 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -8.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 24.92 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.24 years
male: 71.62 years
female: 72.9 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.11 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Ethnic divisions: Polynesian

Religions: Roman Catholic

Languages: French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1969)
total population: 50%
male: 50%
female: 51%

Labor force: NA
by occupation: agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (est.)

Government

Names:
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

Digraph: WF

Type: overseas territory of France

Capital: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France)

Independence: none (overseas territory of France)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French legal system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government: High Administrator Philippe LEGRIX (since NA); President of the Territorial Assembly Soane Mani UHILA (since NA March 1992)
cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of 3 kings and 3 members appointed by the high administrator on advice of the Territorial Assembly
note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers

Legislative branch: unicameral
Territorial Assembly (Assemblee Territoriale): elections last held 15 March 1987 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (20 total) RPR 7, UPL 5, UDF 4, UNF 4
French Senate: elections last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held by NA September 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) RPR 1
French National Assembly: elections last held 21 and 28 March 1992 (next to be held by NA September 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) MRG 1; note - Wallis and Futuna elect one deputy

Judicial branch: none; justice generally administered under French law by the chief administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu

Political parties and leaders: Rally for the Republic (RPR); Union Populaire Locale (UPL); Union Pour la Democratie Francaise (UDF); Lua kae tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche (MRG)

Member of: FZ, SPC

Diplomatic representation in US: none (overseas territory of France)

US diplomatic representation: none (overseas territory of France)

Flag: the flag of France is used

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. Wallis and Futuna imports food - particularly sugar and beef - fuel, clothing, machinery, and transport equipment, but its exports are negligible, consisting of copra and handicrafts.

National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $28.7 million (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate: NA%

National product per capita: $2,000 (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $2.7 million
expenditures: $2.7 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1983 est.)

Exports: $6.6 million (f.o.b., 1986)
commodities: copra, handicrafts
partners: NA

Imports: $13.3 million (c.i.f., 1984)
commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, transportation equipment, fuel, clothing
partners: France, Australia, New Zealand

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity:
capacity: 1,200 kW
production: 1 million kWh
consumption per capita: 70 kWh (1990)

Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Agriculture: dominated by coconut production, with subsistence crops of yams, taro, bananas, and herds of pigs and goats

Economic aid:
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $118 million

Currency: 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 96.25 (January 1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.0 (1990); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Fiscal year: NA

Transportation

Railroads: 0 km

Highways:
total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20km)
paved: 16 km (on Il Uvea)
unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)

Inland waterways: none

Ports: Leava, Mata-Utu

Merchant marine:
total: 1 oil tanker (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 26,000 GRT/40,000 DWT

Airports:
total: 2
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Communications

Telephone system: 225 telephones
local: NA
intercity: NA
international: NA

Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
radios: NA

Television:
broadcast stations: 0
televisions: NA

Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of France