Wallis and Futuna




                                  Header


Affiliation:
     (overseas territory of France)


                                 Geography


Location:
     Oceania, Polynesia in the South Pacific Ocean, 4,600 km southwest of
     Honolulu, 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:
     NA
natural hazards:
     NA
international agreements:
     NA
Note:
     both island groups have fringing reefs


                                  People


Population:
     14,338 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
     1.13% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
     25.74 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
     5.26 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
     -9.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
     26.26 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
     71.72 years
male:
     71.08 years
female:
     72.4 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
     3.23 children born/woman (1994 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:
     all ages 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:
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 Noni 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 March 1992);
     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




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, fuel, clothing,
     machinery, and transport equipment, but its exports are negligible,
     consisting of copra and handicrafts.
National product:
     GDP - exchange rate conversion - $25 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
     NA%
National product per capita:
     $1,500 (1991 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:
     negligible
commodities:
     copra, handicrafts
partners:
     NA
Imports:
     $13.3 million (c.i.f., 1984)
commodities:
     foodstuffs, manufactured goods, transportation equipment, fuel




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 - 107.63
     (January 1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.0
     (1990), 115.99 (1989); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the
     French franc
Fiscal year:
     NA


                              Communications


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:
     Mata-Utu, Leava
Airports:
total:
     2
usable:
     2
with permanent-surface runways:
     1
with runways over 3,659 m:
     0




with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
     0
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
     1
Telecommunications:
     225 telephones; broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV


                              Defense Forces


Note:
     defense is the responsibility of France