Wallis and Futuna (2004) | Tokelau (2005) | |
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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 | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 42%
15-64 years: 53% 65 years and over: 5% (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats | coconuts, copra, breadfruit, papayas, bananas; pigs, poultry, goats |
Airports | 2 (2003 est.) | none; lagoon landings are possible by amphibious aircraft (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
- |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
- |
Area | total: 274 sq km
land: 274 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets |
total: 10 sq km
land: 10 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC | about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC |
Background | Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and 18th centuries, 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. | Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925. |
Birth rate | NA births/1,000 population | NA |
Budget | revenues: $20 million
expenditures: $17 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.) |
revenues: $430,800
expenditures: $2.8 million, including capital expenditures of $37,300 (1987 est.) |
Capital | Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea) | none; each atoll has its own administrative center |
Climate | 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 | tropical; moderated by trade winds (April to November) |
Coastline | 129 km | 101 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | administered under the Tokelau Islands Act of 1948; amended in 1970 |
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 |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Tokelau |
Currency | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) | - |
Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | NA |
Debt - external | NA | $0 |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France | self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | assistance from France | from New Zealand about $4 million annually |
Economy - overview | The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% 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. | Tokelau's small size (three villages), isolation, and lack of resources greatly restrain economic development and confine agriculture to the subsistence level. The people rely heavily on aid from New Zealand - about $4 million annually - to maintain public services, with annual aid being substantially greater than GDP. The principal sources of revenue come from sales of copra, postage stamps, souvenir coins, and handicrafts. Money is also remitted to families from relatives in New Zealand. |
Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | - |
Electricity - production | NA kWh | NA kWh |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m |
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 | very limited natural resources and overcrowding are contributing to emigration to New Zealand |
Ethnic groups | Polynesian | Polynesian |
Exchange rates | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 105.73 (2003), 126.72 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998) | New Zealand dollars per US dollar - 1.5087 (2004), 1.7221 (2003), 2.1622 (2002), 2.3788 (2001), 2.2012 (2000) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Xavier DE FURST (since 18 January 2005)
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since NA January 2001) cabinet: Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly note: there are three 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 are elected by the members of the assembly |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General of New Zealand Dame Silvia CARTWRIGHT (since 4 April 2001); New Zealand is represented by Administrator Neil WALTER (since 1 March 2003)
head of government: Pio TUIA (since February 2005); note - position rotates annually among the three Faipule (village leaders) cabinet: the Council for the Ongoing Government of Tokelau, consisting of three Faipule (village leaders) and three Pulenuku (village mayors) functions as a cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade in New Zealand; the head of government is chosen from the Council of Faipule and serves a one-year term |
Exports | $250,000 f.o.b. (1999) | $98,000 f.o.b. (1983) |
Exports - commodities | copra, chemicals, construction materials | stamps, copra, handicrafts |
Exports - partners | Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% | New Zealand (2000) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | a large white modified Maltese cross - shifted a little off center toward the fly and slightly downward - on a red background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions | the flag of New Zealand is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $57.59 million (2003 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,000 (1993 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 13 18 S, 176 12 W | 9 00 S, 172 00 W |
Geography - note | both island groups have fringing reefs | consists of three atolls, each with a lagoon surrounded by a number of reef-bound islets of varying length and rising to over three meters above sea level |
Highways | total: 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km)
paved: 16 km (all on Ile Uvea) unpaved: 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km) |
total: NA
paved: NA unpaved: NA |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Imports | $300,000 f.o.b. (1999) | $323,000 c.i.f. (1983) |
Imports - commodities | chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods | foodstuffs, building materials, fuel |
Imports - partners | France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1% | New Zealand (2000) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of France) | none (territory of New Zealand) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA% |
Industries | copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber | small-scale enterprises for copra production, woodworking, plaited craft goods; stamps, coins; fishing |
Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | NA% |
International organization participation | FZ, UPU | UNESCO (associate), UPU |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | none; 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 | Supreme Court in New Zealand exercises civil and criminal jurisdiction in Tokelau |
Labor force | NA | NA |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.) | - |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 25% other: 70% (2001) |
arable land: 0% (soil is thin and infertile)
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2001) |
Languages | French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) | Tokelauan (a Polynesian language), English |
Legal system | French legal system | New Zealand and local statutes |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 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 27 September 1998 (next to be held by NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (UMP) 1 |
unicameral General Fono (21 seats; based upon proportional representation from the three islands elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; Nukunonu has 6 seats, Fakaofo has 7 seats, Atafu has 8 seats); note - the Tokelau Amendment Act of 1996 confers limited legislative power on the General Fono
elections: last held January 2002 (next to be held January 2005) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: NA
male: -9 years female: -9 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 50% male: 50% female: 50% (1969 est.) |
NA |
Location | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand | Oceania, group of three atolls in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand |
Map references | Oceania | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total: 6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 134,037 GRT/14,271 DWT
by type: passenger 6 foreign-owned: France 3, Greece 1, Monaco 1, United States 1 (2004 est.) |
- |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | defense is the responsibility of New Zealand |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty over New Zealand), 6 February (1840) |
Nationality | noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander |
noun: Tokelauan(s)
adjective: Tokelauan |
Natural hazards | NA | lies in Pacific typhoon belt |
Natural resources | NEGL | NEGL |
Net migration rate | NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2004 est.) |
NA |
Political parties and leaders | Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leader NA]; Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA] | none |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 15,880 (July 2004 est.) | 1,405 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA |
Population growth rate | NA | -0.01% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Leava, Mata-Utu | none; offshore anchorage only |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000) | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: 1 radio station provides service to all islands (2002) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% | Congregational Christian Church 70%, Roman Catholic 28%, other 2%
note: on Atafu, all Congregational Christian Church of Samoa; on Nukunonu, all Roman Catholic; on Fakaofo, both denominations, with the Congregational Christian Church predominant |
Sex ratio | - | NA |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 681 |
general assessment: modern satellite-based communications system;
domestic: radiotelephone service between islands international: country code - 690; radiotelephone service to Samoa; government-regulated telephone service (TeleTok), with 3 satellite earth stations, established in 1997 |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1,900 (2002) | 300 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1994) | 0 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (2000) | - |
Terrain | volcanic origin; low hills | low-lying coral atolls enclosing large lagoons |
Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | NA |
Unemployment rate | NA | NA% |