The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but 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.

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
13 18 S, 176 12 W
Oceania
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
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
0 km
129 km
territorial sea: 12 nm ; exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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
volcanic origin; low hills
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m ; highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m
NEGL
arable land: 7.14% ; permanent crops: 35.71% ; other: 57.15% (2005)
NA


NA
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

both island groups have fringing reefs
16,309 (July 2007 est.)
0-14 years: NA ; 15-64 years: NA ; 65 years and over: NA

NA
NA
NA
NA ; note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2007 est.)

total: NA ; male: NA ; female: NA
total population: NA ; male: NA ; female: NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders ; adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander
Polynesian
Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%
Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write ; total population: 50% ; male: 50% ; female: 50% (1969 est.)


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
NA
name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea) ; geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W ; time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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 (overseas territory of France)
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
the laws of France, where applicable, apply
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Administrator Richard DIDIER (since 19 July 2006) ; head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since 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
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 22 April 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 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 in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - RPR (UMP) 1
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; a court of appeal is located in Noumea, New Caledonia
Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP) [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF
NA
SPC, UPU
unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is the only official flag
none (overseas territory of France)
none (overseas territory of France)
overseas territory of France




The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of 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.
$60 million (2004 est.)
$NA
NA%
$3,800 (2004 est.)
agriculture: NA% ; industry: NA% ; services: NA%
3,104 (2003)
agriculture: 80% ; industry: 4% ; services: 16% (2001 est.)
15.2% (2003)
NA%
lowest 10%: NA% ; highest 10%: NA%

2.8% (2005)

revenues: $29,730 ; expenditures: $31,330 (2004 est.)
5.6% of GDP (2004 est.)
breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish
copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber
NA%
NA kWh
fossil fuel: 0% ; hydro: 0% ; nuclear: 0% ; other: 0%
NA kWh
0 kWh (2002)
0 kWh (2002)











$47,450 f.o.b. (2004)
copra, chemicals, construction materials
Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% (2006)
$61.17 million f.o.b. (2004)
France 97%, Australia 2%, NZ 1% (2006)


$3.67 million (2004)



Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
XPF
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per U NA (2007), 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)
calendar year
assistance from France, $NA
1,900 (2002)
0 (1994)
general assessment: NA ; domestic: NA ; international: country code - 681
AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000)
NA
2 (2000)
NA
.wf
1 (2007)
1 (2000)
900 (2002)

2 (2007)
total: 1 ; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
total: 1 ; 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)





total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 92,346 GRT/98,307 DWT ; by type: chemical tanker 2, passenger 6 ; foreign-owned: 8 (France 6, French Polynesia 2) (2007)
Leava, Mata-Utu







defense is the responsibility of France
none



