Guiana Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: Suriname claims area between Riviere
Litani and Riviere Marouini (both headwaters of the Lawa)
Illicit drugs: small amount of marijuana grown for local consumption; minor transshipment point to Europe
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@French Polynesia
French Polynesia Introduction
Background: 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.
French Polynesia Geography
Location: Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 S, 140 00 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km
water: 507 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%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: 5%
forests and woodland: 31%
other: 57% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: occasional cyclonic storms in January
Environment - current issues: NA
Geography - note: includes five archipelagoes; 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
French Polynesia People
Population: 253,506 (July 2001 est.)
Age structure: 0–14 years: 29.74% (male 38,473; female 36,925)
15–64 years: 65.17% (male 86,128; female 79,076)
65 years and over: 5.09% (male 6,481; female 6,423) (2001 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.72% (2001 est.)
Birth rate: 18.6 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate: 4.45 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 9.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.01 years
male: 72.67 years
female: 77.46 years (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.23 children born/woman (2001 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 16%
Languages: French (official), Tahitian (official)
Literacy: definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98% (1977 est.)
French Polynesia Government
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
local short form: 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
