1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Coastline
about 2,525 km
Limits of territorial waters
12 nm (fishing 200 nm; exclusive economic zone 200 nm)
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
78% Polynesian, 12% Chinese, 6% local French, 4% metropolitan French
Nationality
noun—French Polynesian(s); adjective—French Polynesian
Population
155,000 (July 1982), annual growth rate 2.2%
Religion
mainly Christian; 55% Protestant, 32% Catholic
Government
Branches
33-member Territorial Assembly, popularly elected; 5-member Council of Government, elected by Assembly; popular election of two deputies to National Assembly and one senator to Senate in Paris
Capital
Papeete
Elections
every five years, last in May 1977 Political parties and leaders: Le Front Uni, autonomist coalition, Francis Sanford; Tahoeraa Huiraatira, conservative Gaullist, Gaston Flosse Voting strength (1977 election): Le Front Uni, 14 seats; Tahoerra Huiraatira, 10 seats; independents, 9 seats
Government leader
High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Paul NOIROT-COSSON, appointed by French Government
Legal system
based on French; lower and higher courts
Official name
Territory of French Polynesia
Political subdivisions
five districts
Suffrage
universal adult
Type
overseas territory of France
Economy
Agriculture
coconut main crop
Aid
France $91 million (1978)
Budget
$180 million in 1979; ODA and OOF commitments from Western (non-US countries)
Electric power
67,000 kW capacity (1981); 160 million kWh produced (1979), 1,074 kWh per capita
Exports
$21 million (1977); principal products—coconut products (79%), mother-of-pearl (14%), vanilla (1971)
GDP
$636.8 million (1976), $4,550 per capita
Imports
$419 million (1977); principal items—fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
Major industries
maintenance of French nuclear test base, tourism
Major trade partners
imports—59% France, 14% US; exports—86% France
Monetary conversion rate
100 CFP=1NZ$ (1971)
Communications
Airfields
38 total, 38 usable; 16 with permanent-surface runways, 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 14 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
about 3 major transport aircraft
Highways
3,700 km, all types
Ports
1 major, 6 minor
Telecommunications
17,302 telephones (12.9 per 100 popl.); 72,000 radio and 14,000 TV sets; 5 AM, 2 FM, and 6 TV stations; 1 ground satellite station