The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996.

Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia

15 00 S, 140 00 W

total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
water: 507 sq km
land: 3,660 sq km

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

tropical, but moderate

mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m

timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower

arable land: 0.82%
permanent crops: 5.46%
other: 93.72% (2001)

occasional cyclonic storms in January

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

266,339 (July 2004 est.)

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

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

French (official), Tahitian (official)

overseas territory of France since 1946

Papeete

none (overseas territory of France)

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

based on French system

Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.

1.5% (2002 est.)

70,000 (1996)

agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997)

11.8% (1994)

coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee

tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat

France 67.1%, Japan 16.3%, US 9.2% (2003 est.)

fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

France 58.4%, Australia 11.6%, New Zealand 5.8%, US 5.8% (2003 est.)

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

52,500 (2002)

90,000 (2002)

total: 2,590 km
paved: 1,735 km
unpaved: 855 km (1999)

Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa

total: 10 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 17,537 GRT/15,150 DWT
by type: cargo 3, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2003 est.)

49 (2003 est.)

total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
under 914 m: 7 (2003 est.)
914 to 1,523 m: 23

total: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 7 (2003 est.)

1 (2003 est.)

defense is the responsibility of France