The 2003 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

Oceania

      Area:

       total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)

       water: 507 sq km

       land: 3,660 sq km

      Area - comparative:

       slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut

      Land boundaries:

       0 km

      Coastline:

       2,525 km

      Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

      Climate:

       tropical, but moderate

      Terrain:

       mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

      Elevation extremes:

       lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

       highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

      Natural resources:

       timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

      Land use: arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 est.)

      Irrigated land:

       NA sq km

      Natural hazards:

       occasional cyclonic storms in January

      Environment - current issues:

       NA

      Geography - note:

       includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in

       French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in

       the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati

       and Nauru

      People French Polynesia

      Population:

       262,125 (July 2003 est.)

      Age structure:

       0–14 years: 28.3% (male 37,804; female 36,249)

       15–64 years: 66.3% (male 90,421; female 83,304)

       65 years and over: 5.4% (male 7,226; female 7,121) (2003 est.)

      Median age:

       total: 26.7 years

       male: 27.1 years

       female: 26.3 years (2002)

      Population growth rate:

       1.62% (2003 est.)

      Birth rate:

       17.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Death rate:

       4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Net migration rate:

       2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

      Sex ratio:

       at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

       under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

       15–64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female

       65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female

       total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

       total: 8.78 deaths/1,000 live births

       female: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

       male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births

      Life expectancy at birth:

       total population: 75.45 years

       male: 73.08 years

       female: 77.93 years (2003 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

       2.14 children born/woman (2003 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

       NA%

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

       NA

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

       NA

      Nationality:

       noun: French Polynesian(s)

       adjective: French Polynesian

      Ethnic groups:

       Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4%

      Religions:

       Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

      Languages:

       French (official), Tahitian (official)

      Literacy:

       definition: age 14 and over can read and write

       total population: 98%

       male: 98%

       female: 98% (1977 est.)

      Government French Polynesia

      Country name:

       conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia

       conventional short form: French Polynesia

       local short form: Polynesie Francaise

       local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise

       former: French Colony of Oceania

      Dependency status:

       overseas territory of France since 1946

      Government type:

       NA

      Capital:

       Papeete

      Administrative divisions:

       none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order

       administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there

       are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel

       des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent

       note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French

       Polynesia

      Independence:

       none (overseas territory of France)

      National holiday:

       Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

      Constitution:

       28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

      Legal system:

       based on French system

      Suffrage:

       18 years of age; universal

      Executive branch:

       chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May

       1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel

       MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)

       head of government: President of the Territorial Government of

       French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of

       the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001)

       cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members

       of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as

       ministers

       elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year

       term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the

       advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the

       Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial