Wallis and Futuna

§1. 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.

§2. Wallis and Futuna Geography

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 kmē
  land: 274 kmē
  water: 0 kmē
  note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile
    Alofi, and 20 islets

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

Land boundaries:
  0 km

Coastline:
  129 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  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 extremes:
  lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
  highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

Natural resources:
  NEGL

Land use:
  arable land: 7.14%
  permanent crops: 35.71%
  other: 57.15% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  NA kmē

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

§3. Wallis and Futuna 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 growth rate:
  NA

Birth rate:
  NA births/1,000 population

Death rate:
  NA deaths/1,000 population

Net migration rate:
  NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
    Caledonia (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: NA
  male: NA
  female: NA

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:
  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.)

§4. Wallis and Futuna 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 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:
  4 October 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 Xavier DE FURST (since 18 January 2005)
  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 branch:
  unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee 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 NA 2007);
    results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1

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 (UMP) [Clovis
  LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; 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:
  SPC, UPU

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

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

Flag description:
  unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white 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

§5. Wallis and Futuna Economy

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):
  $60 million (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $3,800 (2004 est.)

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

Labor force:
  NA

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

Unemployment rate:
  NA%

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  NA%

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

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

Industries:
  copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  NA kWh

Electricity - consumption:
  NA kWh

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2002)

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

Exports - commodities:
  copra, chemicals, construction materials

Exports - partners:
  Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2004)

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

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

Imports - partners:
  France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  assistance from France

Currency (code):
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Exchange rates:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.89 (2005),
  96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Wallis and Futuna Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  1,900 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  0 (1994)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: NA
  domestic: NA
  international: country code - 681

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

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (2000)

Internet country code:
  .wf

Internet hosts:
  1 (2005)

Internet users:
  900 (2002)

§7. Wallis and Futuna Transportation

Airports:
  2 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005)

Merchant marine:
  total: 6 ships (1000 GRT or over) 106,003 GRT/56,674 DWT
  by type: chemical tanker 1, passenger 5
  foreign-owned: 5 (France 4, US 1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Leava, Mata-Utu

§8. Wallis and Futuna Military

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

§9. Wallis and Futuna Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none


<Factbook 2006>
