General information: Although the islands were explored by the British and Dutch in the XVII-XVIII centuries, it was the French who established a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, according to LIUXERS, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become an overseas territory of France.
Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand.
Geographical coordinates: 13° 18′ N. latitude, 176° 12’W
Reference map: Oceania.
Area: total: 274 km2; land surface area: 274 km2; water surface area: 0 km2; note: includes Ouvea (Wallis), Futuna, Alofi and 20 smaller islands.
Comparative area: one and a half times the size of Washington, DC.
Land borders: 0 km.
Coastline: 129 km.
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles; territorial waters: 12 nautical miles.
Climate: tropical; hot rainy season from November to April; cool dry season from May to October. Precipitation from 2,500 to 3,000 mm per year (humidity 80%); the average temperature is 26.6 °C.
Terrain: islands of volcanic origin, low hills.
Maximum and minimum heights: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m; highest point: Mount Singavi 765 m.
Natural resources: negligible.
Land use: arable land: 5%; cultivated land: 20%; pasture: 0%; forests and plantations: 0%; others: 75% (1993 est.).
Irrigated land: no data.
Natural hazards: no data available.
Current environmental issues: deforestation (only small patches of virgin forest remain), largely as a result of continued use of wood as a primary fuel; due to deforestation, the hilly regions of Futuna are particularly prone to erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi1 due to the lack of fresh water sources. Note to the section “Geography”: both groups of islands are surrounded by reefs.
International agreements on environmental protection:
Note to the section “Geography”:
Population
Population: 15,435 (July 2001 est.).
Age structure: up to 14 years: no data; from 15 to 64 years: no data; over 65 years: no data.
Population growth: no data.
Fertility: no data.
Mortality: no data.
Migration: no data.
Sex ratio:
Child mortality: no data.
Life expectancy: for the general population: not available; men: no data; women: no data.
General birth rate: no data.
Proportion of the adult population infected with HIV: no data available.
Number of people infected with HIV: no data.
Mortality due to AIDS: no data available.
Nationality: noun: Wallisian, Futuna. adjective: referring to Wallis and Futuna.
Ethnic groups: Polynesians.
Believers: Catholics 100%.
Language(s): French, Wallis (local Polynesian).
Literacy: definition: persons aged 15 and over who can read and write; for the general population: 50%; men: 50%; women: 50% (1969 est.).
Politics
Common long form: Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands;
Common short form: Wallis and Futuna; local long form: Territoire des lies Wallis et Futuna; local short form: Wallis et Futuna. Dependency status: overseas territory of France.
State structure:
Capital: Mata-Utu (on Uvea).
Administrative division: no; There are no first-order administrative divisions, as defined by the US government, but there are three kingdoms: Alo, Sigawe, Wallis.
Independence: none (overseas territory of France).
National holiday:
Constitution: September 28, 1958 (French Constitution).
Legal system: French law.
Suffrage: from the age of 18, universal.
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by Supreme Administrator Christian DORS (for how long – no data);
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Soane UHILA (since when – no data);
government: The Territorial Council consists of three kings and three other members appointed by the supreme administrator on the proposal of the Territorial Assembly; note: the three kings have limited power; elections: French president is elected for a seven-year term by popular vote; the supreme administrator is appointed by the president on the proposal of the French Ministry of the Interior; the president of the territorial government and the territorial assembly is elected by the members of the assembly.
Legislature: unicameral Territorial Assembly (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote for five years); elections: last held 16 March 1997 (next to be held in March 2002); election results: distribution of votes between parties – no data; distribution of seats by party: RPR 14, others 6; note: Wallis and Futuna elect one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly, last elections to the Senate were held on 27 September 1998 (next to be held in September 2007); distribution of votes between parties: no data; seat allocation: RPR 1; National Assembly elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held in March 2002); distribution of votes between parties: no data; seats: RPR 1.
Judiciary: No; justice is administered under French law by the supreme administrator, but the three traditional kings are governed by customary law, and Mata Utu has a justice of the peace.
Political parties and leaders: Lua Cae Tahi (supporters of Giscard d’Estaing) (leader – no data); Movement of left radicals (leader – no data); Association in Support of the Republic (RPR) (Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU [Clovis LOGO- LOGOFOLAU]); Taumua Lelei (Soane UHILA);. People’s Local Union (Falakiko GATA [Falakiko GATA]); Union for French Democracy (leader – no data). ;o
Political influence groups and their leaders:
Participation in international organizations: FZ, SPC.
Diplomatic representation in the United States: none (overseas territory of France).
US Diplomatic Representation: None (French Overseas Territory).
Description of the flag: a large white modified Maltese cross in the center on a red background; the flag of France, outlined on both sides with a white outline, is located in the upper part from the side of the staff; for official ceremonies, the flag of France is used.
Economics
Economic overview: The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture; which employs about 80% of the labor force: growing coconuts and vegetables, animal husbandry (mainly pig farming) and fishing. About 4% of the population works in the administration. Income comes from subsidies from the French government, funds from the sale of fishing licenses to Japan and South Korea, taxes on imported goods, and remittances from migrant workers from New Caledonia.
GDP: at purchasing power parity – $30 million (1997 est.).
Real GDP growth rate: no data available.
GDP per capita: at purchasing power parity – $2,000 (1997 est.).
The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: no data; industry: no data; service sector: no data.
Proportion of the population below the poverty line: no data available.
Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: for the poorest 10% of households: n/a; by top 10% of households: no data.
Inflation rate at consumer prices: no data.
Labor force: no data.
Employment structure: agriculture, animal husbandry and fishing 80%, administration 4%.
Unemployment rate: no data.
Budget: revenues: $20 million; expenditures: $17 million, including capital investment – NA (1998 est.).
Spheres of economy: copra harvesting, handicraft production, fishing.
Growth in industrial production: no data available.
Electricity production: no data.
Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: no data available; hydropower: no data; nuclear fuel: no data; others: no data.
Electricity consumption: no data.
Export of electricity: no data.
Electricity import: no data.
Agricultural products: breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs and goats.
Export: $250,000 (free on board, 1999).
Exports: copra, chemicals, building materials.
Export partners: Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, USA 14%, Denmark 13%.
Import: $300,000 (free on board, 1999)
Imports: chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods.
Import partners: France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%.
External debt: no data. Recipient of economic aid: subsidies from France.
Economic aid donor:
Currency: Pacific franc (Comptoirs Fran-cais du Pacifique franc).
Currency code: XPF.
Exchange rate: XPF/USD -127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995); note – pegged to the euro at the rate of 119.25 HRRzaeuro.
Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 1 125 (1994).
Mobile cell phones: 0 (1994).
Telephone system: internal: no data; international: no data.
Broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave – 0 (1998).
Radio receivers: no data.
Television broadcast stations: 2 (2000).
TVs: no data.
Internet country code: wf
Internet providers: 1 (2000).
Number of users: no data.
(Transportation)
Transport Railways: 0 km.
Roads: total: 120 km (Ouvea 100 km, Futuna 20 km); paved: 16 km (all on Uvea); unpaved: 104 km (Ouvea 84 km, Futuna 20 km).
Waterways: no.
Ports and harbors: Liwa, Mata-Utu.
Merchant fleet: total: 4 vessels (displacement 1,000 tons or more), with a total displacement of 48,853 gross register tons / 43,128 long tons of gross tonnage; ships of different types: passenger ships – 3, oil tankers – 1; note: including foreign vessels registered here for flag of convenience reasons: France 1 (2000 est.).
Airports: 2 (2000 est.).
Airports with paved runways: total: 1; from 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2000 est.).
Airports with unpaved runways: total: 1; from 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2000 est.).
