Wallis & Futuna Islands Online Business Education. Administration. Economy. Politics. Culture. Religion. Media

Wallis and Futuna Islands
Online Business Education. Economy. Politics. Culture. Religion. Media

Map
Map of Wallis and Futuna Islands

Introduction

Wallis and Futuna

Background: Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the
17th and 18th centuries, 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 note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile
Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets water: 0 sq km land:
274 sq km

Area - comparative: 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 129 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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: 5% permanent crops: 20% other: 75% (1998 est.)

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: 15,585 (July 2002 est.)

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

Population growth rate: NA (2002 est.)

Birth rate: NA births/1,000 population

Death rate: NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate: NA migrant(s)/1,000 population

Infant mortality rate: NA deaths/1,000 live births

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: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Ethnic groups: Polynesian

Religions: Roman Catholic 100%

Languages: French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)

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 short form:
Wallis et Futuna local long form: Territoire des Iles 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: 28 September 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 Alain WAQUET (since
12 July 2000) 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 note: there are three traditional kings
with limited powers head of government: President of the Territorial
Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since NA 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

Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms) elections: 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 NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats -
RPR 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997
(next to be held by NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats - RPR 1 election results: 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 [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; 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: FZ, SPC

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

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of
France)

Flag description: a large white modified Maltese cross centered on a red
background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the
upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions

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 - $30 million (1997 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: NA%

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (1997 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Labor force: NA

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%,
government 4% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues: $20 million expenditures: $17 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: NA kWh

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: NA% hydro: NA% other:
NA% nuclear: NA%

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

Agriculture - products: breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats

Exports: $250,000 (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: copra, chemicals, construction materials

Exports - partners: Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13%

Imports: $300,000 (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities: chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer
goods

Imports - partners: France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1%

Debt - external: $NA

Economic aid - recipient: assistance from France

Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code: XPF

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93
(1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - linked at the rate of 119.25
XPF to the euro

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications Wallis and Futuna

Telephones - main lines in use: 1,125 (1994)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 0 (1994)

Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: NA

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 2 (2000)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .wf

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

Internet users: NA

Transportation Wallis and Futuna

Railways: 0 km

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

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Leava, Mata-Utu

Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 71,868
GRT/7,422 DWT ships by type: passenger 4 note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 3, United States 1
(2002 est.)

Airports: 2 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2001)

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 1 January 2002