Wallis and Futuna   source: CIA World Factbook 1998 (overseas territory of France)

[Top of Page]

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
land: 274 sq km
water: 0 sq km
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:
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: Mount Singavi 765 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 20%
permanent pastures: NA%
forests and woodland: NA%
other: 75% (1993 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

Environment—international agreements:
party to: NA
signed, but not ratified: NA

Geography—note: both island groups have fringing reefs

[Top of Page]

Population: 14,974 (July 1998 est.)

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

Population growth rate: 1.06% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 23.02 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 4.78 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -7.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20.93 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 73.82 years
male: 73.24 years
female: 74.4 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.78 children born/woman (1998 est.)

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 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.)

[Top of Page]

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

Data code: WF

Dependency status: overseas territory of France

Government type: NA

National 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 named Wallis, Sigave, Alo

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 of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Claude PIERRET (since NA)
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Victor BRIAL (since 1 June 1997)
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: high administrator appointed by the president of France 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 16 March 1997 (next to be held NA March 2002)
election results: percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—NA
note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; 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 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held by NA March 2002); results - percent of vote by party—NA; seats—(1 total) RPR 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: Rally for the Republic or RPR; Union Populaire Locale or UPL; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF; Lua kae tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG; Taumu'a Lelei

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

[Top of Page]

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 flour, sugar, rice, and beef—fuel, clothing, machinery, and transport equipment, but its exports are negligible, consisting mostly of breadfruit, yams, and taro root.

GDP: purchasing power parity—$28.7 million (1995 est.)

GDP—real growth rate: NA%

GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$2,000 (1995 est.)

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

Inflation rate—consumer price index: NA%

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

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $22 million
expenditures: $22 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)

Industries: copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity—capacity: NA kW

Electricity—production: NA kWh

Electricity—consumption per capita: NA kWh

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

Exports:
total value: $370,000 (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities: copra, handicrafts
partners: NA

Imports:
total value: $13.5 million (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities: foodstuffs, manufactured goods, transportation equipment, fuel, clothing
partners: France, Australia, New Zealand

Debt—external: $NA

Economic aid:
recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency: 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1—110.60 (January 1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.94 (1994), 102.96 (1993); note—linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Fiscal year: calendar year

[Top of Page]

Telephones: 340 (1985 est.)

Telephone system:
domestic: NA
international: NA

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

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 0

Televisions: NA

[Top of Page]

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: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 44,160 GRT/41,656 DWT
ships by type: oil tanker 1, passenger 1 (1997 est.)

Airports: 2 (1997 est.)

Airports—with paved runways:
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1997 est.)

[Top of Page]

Military—note: defense is the responsibility of France

[Top of Page]

Disputes—international: none