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.
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: 142 sq km
country comparison to the world: 220
land:
142 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:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Climate:
Current Weather
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 (on Futuna) 765 m
Natural resources:
NEGL
Land use:
arable land: 7.14%
permanent crops:
35.71%
other:
57.15% (2005)
Irrigated land:
NA
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:
15,343 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 220
Age structure:
0-14 years: 25.8% (male 2,072/female 1,883)
15-64 years:
66.7% (male 5,135/female 5,106)
65 years and over:
7.5% (male 528/female 619) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.9 years
male:
26.8 years
female:
29.2 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.365% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
Birth rate:
NA
Death rate:
NA
Net migration rate:
-5.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 166
note:there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2010 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 0% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization:
0% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.057 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.1 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.85 male(s)/female
total population:
1.02 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.74 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 193
male:
4.98 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.83 years
country comparison to the world: 39
male:
75.85 years
female:
81.96 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.84 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
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.)
Government ::Wallis and Futuna
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:
name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
geographic coordinates:
13 57 S, 171 56 W
time difference:
UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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:
the laws of France where applicable apply
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Administrator Michel JEANJEAN (since 10 June 2010)
head of government:
President of the Territorial Assembly Pesamino TAPUTAI (since 11 April 2007)
cabinet:
Council
of the Territory consists of 3 kings and 3 members appointed by the
high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly
note:there are 3 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 elected by the members of the
assembly
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held on 1 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2012)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13, other 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 on 21
September 2008 (next to be held by September 2014); results - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats - UMP 1; French National Assembly - elections
last held on 17 June 2007 (next to be held by 2012); results - percent
of vote by party - NA; seats - PS 1
Judicial branch:
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; a court of appeal is located in Noumea, New Caledonia
Political parties and leaders:
Lua Kae Tahi
(Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the
Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS;
Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL
[Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU
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
note:the flag of France used for official occasions
Economy ::Wallis and Futuna
Economy - overview:
The economy is limited to
traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of 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.)
country comparison to the world: 221
GDP (official exchange rate):
$NA
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$3,800 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%
Labor force:
3,104 (2003)
country comparison to the world: 222
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry:
4%
services:
16% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
15.2% (2003)
country comparison to the world: 153
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:
NA%
Budget:
revenues: $29,730
expenditures:
$31,330 (2004)
Public debt:
5.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.8% (2005)
country comparison to the world: 98
Agriculture - products:
coconuts, 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:
$47,450 (2004)
country comparison to the world: 222
Exports - commodities:
copra, chemicals, construction materials
Imports:
$61.17 million (2004)
country comparison to the world: 215
Imports - commodities:
chemicals, machinery, consumer goods
Debt - external:
$3.67 million (2004)
country comparison to the world: 193
Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du
Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89
(2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)
Communications ::Wallis and Futuna
Telephones - main lines in use:
2,700 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 219
Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA
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:
1,480 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 154
Internet users:
1,200 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 212
Transportation ::Wallis and Futuna
Airports:
2 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 201
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m:
1
914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2009)
Merchant marine:
total: 8
country comparison to the world: 122
by type:
chemical tanker 2, passenger 6
foreign-owned:
8 (France 6, French Polynesia 2) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Leava, Mata-Utu
Military ::Wallis and Futuna
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,326
females age 16-49:
3,305 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
