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 (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 77.69 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.18 children born/woman (2002 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.)
Government French Polynesia
Country name: conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia local short form: Polynesie
Francaise local long form: Territoire de la 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: Independence: none (overseas territory of France)
National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system: based on French system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France
(since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic
Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001) head of government: President of
the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4
April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since
17 May 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list
of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve
as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a
five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial
Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by
the members of the assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee
Territoriale (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election;
members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections:
last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006) note: one seat was
elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998 (next to be held NA
September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
- NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16
June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - NA election results: percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 29,
Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 12, The New Star 7,
other 1
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First
Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law
or Tribunal Administratif
Political parties and leaders: Independent Front for the Liberation of
Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a
Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or
RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api)
[Boris LEONTIEFF]
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU,
SPC, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of
France)
Flag description: two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white
band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave
pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper
half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern;
the French flag is used for official occasions
Economy French Polynesia
Economy - overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel
in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence 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 substantially
benefits from development agreements with France aimed principally at
creating new businesses and strengthening social services.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 4% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 6% industry: 18% services: 76%
(1997)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1994)
Labor force: 70,000 (1996)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68%
(1997)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $1 billion expenditures: $900 million, including
capital expenditures of $185 million (1996)
Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 408 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 53.92% hydro: 46.08%
other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 379.44 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry,
beef, dairy products
Exports: $205 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities: cultured pearls 50%, coconut products,
mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997)
Exports - partners: Japan 62%, US 21% (1999)
Imports: $749 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
Imports - partners: France 53%, US 13%, Australia 10% (1999)
Debt - external: $NA
Economic aid - recipient: $367 million (1997)
Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)
Currency code: XPF
Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US
dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93
(1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - pegged at the rate of 119.25
XPF to the euro
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications French Polynesia
Telephones - main lines in use: 52,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 5,427 (1997)
Telephone system: general assessment: NA domestic: NA international:
satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 128,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 40,000 (1997)
Internet country code: .pf
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet users: 5,000 (2000)
Transportation French Polynesia
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 792 km paved: 264 km unpaved: 528 km (2000)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa
Merchant marine: total: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,240
GRT/7,765 DWT ships by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 2, refrigerated
cargo 1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 45 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 33 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437
m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 21 under 914 m: 5 (2001)
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m:
9 (2001)
Military French Polynesia
Military branches: no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces
(including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues French Polynesia
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
Baker Island
Introduction Baker Island
Background: The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its guano
deposits were mined by US and British companies during the second half
of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at colonization was
begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland Island - but was
disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned. Presently the island
is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US Department of the Interior;
a day beacon is situated near the middle of the west coast.
Geography Baker Island
Location: Oceania, atoll in the North Pacific Ocean, about half way
between Hawaii and Australia
Geographic coordinates: 0 13 N, 176 31 W
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 1.4 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 1.4 sq km
Area - comparative: about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 4.8 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: equatorial; scant rainfall, constant wind, burning sun
Terrain: low, nearly level coral island surrounded by a narrow fringing
reef
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point:
unnamed location 8 m
Natural resources: guano (deposits worked until 1891), terrestrial and
aquatic wildlife
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
be a maritime hazard
Environment - current issues: no natural fresh water resources
Geography - note: treeless, sparse, and scattered vegetation consisting
of grasses, prostrate vines, and low growing shrubs; primarily a nesting,
roosting, and foraging habitat for seabirds, shorebirds, and marine
wildlife
People Baker Island
Population: uninhabited note: American civilians evacuated in 1942
after Japanese air and naval attacks during World War II; occupied by
US military during World War II, but abandoned after the war; public
entry is by special-use permit from US Fish and Wildlife Service only
and generally restricted to scientists and educators; a cemetery and
remnants of structures from early settlement are located near the middle
of the west coast; visited annually by US Fish and Wildlife Service
(July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate: NA
Government Baker Island
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Baker Island
Dependency status: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from
Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department
of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
Legal system: the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
Flag description: the flag of the US is used
Economy Baker Island
Economy - overview: no economic activity
Transportation Baker Island
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: none; offshore anchorage only; note - there is one
small boat landing area along the middle of the west coast
Airports: 1 abandoned World War II runway of 1,665 m, completely covered
with vegetation and unusable
Transportation - note: there is a day beacon near the middle of the
west coast
Military Baker Island
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the US; visited
annually by the US Coast Guard
Transnational Issues Baker Island
Disputes - international: none
This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
========================================================================
France
Introduction
France
Background: Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank as
a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the most
modern countries in the world and is a leader among European nations.
Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy resistant to the
instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary democracies. In recent
years, its reconciliation and cooperation with Germany have proved central
to the economic integration of Europe, including the advent of the euro
in January 1999. Presently, France is at the forefront of European states
seeking to exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation
of a more unified and capable European defense and security apparatus.
Geography France
Location: Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English
Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
Geographic coordinates: 46 00 N, 2 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total: 547,030 sq km land: 545,630 sq km note: includes only
metropolitan France; excludes the overseas administrative divisions water:
1,400 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of Colorado
Land boundaries: total: 2,889 km border countries: Andorra 56.6 km,
Belgium 620 km, Germany 451 km, Italy 488 km, Luxembourg 73 km, Monaco
4.4 km, Spain 623 km, Switzerland 573 km
Coastline: 3,427 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive
economic zone: 200 NM (does not apply to the Mediterranean)
Climate: generally cool winters and mild summers, but mild winters
and hot summers along the Mediterranean; occasional strong, cold, dry,
north-to-northwesterly wind known as mistral
Terrain: mostly flat plains or gently rolling hills in north and west;
remainder is mountainous, especially Pyrenees in south, Alps in east
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Rhone River delta -2 m highest point:
Mont Blanc 4,807 m
Natural resources: coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, potash, timber, fish
Land use: arable land: 33% permanent crops: 2% other: 65% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 20,000 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought;
forest fires in south near the Mediterranean
Environment - current issues: some forest damage from acid rain (major
forest damage occurred as a result of severe December 1999 windstorm);
air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; water pollution
from urban wastes, agricultural runoff
Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur
94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber
83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified:
Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: largest West European nation
People France
Population: 59,765,983 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.5% (male 5,675,269; female 5,401,661) 15-64
years: 65.2% (male 19,503,556; female 19,479,646) 65 years and over: 16.3%
(male 3,948,433; female 5,757,418) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.35% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 11.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate: 9.04 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69
male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 83.14 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 1.74 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.44% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 130,000 (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 2,000 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women) adjective: French
Ethnic groups: Celtic and Latin with Teutonic, Slavic, North African,
Indochinese, Basque minorities
Religions: Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim
5%-10%, unaffiliated 4%
Languages: French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages
(Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total
population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1980 est.)
Government France
Country name: conventional long form: French Republic conventional
short form: France local long form: Republique Francaise local short
form: France
Government type: republic
Capital: Paris
Administrative divisions: 22 regions (regions, singular - region);
Alsace, Aquitaine, Auvergne, Basse-Normandie, Bourgogne, Bretagne,
Centre, Champagne-Ardenne, Corse, Franche-Comte, Haute-Normandie,
Ile-de-France, Languedoc-Roussillon, Limousin, Lorraine, Midi-Pyrenees,
Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Pays de la Loire, Picardie, Poitou-Charentes,
Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, Rhone-Alpes note: metropolitan France is
divided into 22 regions (including the "territorial collectivity" of Corse
or Corsica) and is subdivided into 96 departments; see separate entries
for the overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique,
Reunion) and the overseas territorial collectivities (Mayotte, Saint
Pierre and Miquelon)
Dependent areas: Bassas da India, Clipperton Island, Europa Island,
French Polynesia, French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Glorioso Islands,
Juan de Nova Island, New Caledonia, Tromelin Island, Wallis and Futuna
note: the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
Independence: 486 (unified by Clovis)
National holiday: Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 1958, amended concerning election of
president in 1962, amended to comply with provisions of EC Maastricht
Treaty in 1992, Amsterdam Treaty in 1996, Treaty of Nice in 2000;
amended to tighten immigration laws 1993
Legal system: civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of
administrative but not legislative acts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC (since 17
May 1995) head of government: Prime Minister Jean-Pierre RAFFARIN (since
7 May 2002) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term (changed from seven-year term in 2001); election last held 21 April
and 5 May 2002 (next to be held, first round NA April 2007, second round
NA May 2007); prime minister nominated by the National Assembly majority
and appointed by the president election results: Jacques CHIRAC reelected
president; percent of vote, second ballot - Jacques CHIRAC (RPR) 81.96%,
Jean-Marie LE PEN (FN) 18.04% cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed
by the president on the suggestion of the prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlement consists of
the Senate or Senat (321 seats - 296 for metropolitan France, 13 for
overseas departments and territories, and 12 for French nationals abroad;
members are indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve nine-year
terms; elected by thirds every three years) and the National Assembly or
Assemblee Nationale (577 seats; members are elected by popular vote under
a single-member majoritarian system to serve five-year terms) election
results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR
83, PS 68, UDC 37, DL 35, RDES 16, PCF 16, other 66; National Assembly -
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 245, RPR 140, UDF 109,
PCF 37, PRS 13, MEI 8, MDC 7, LDI-MPF 1, FN 1, various left 9, various
right 7 elections: National Assembly - last held 25 May-1 June 1997
(next to be held, first round 9 June 2002; second round 16 June 2002)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges
are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of
the Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three
members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president
of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the
Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Political parties and leaders: Citizens Movement or MdC [Jean Pierre
CHEVENEMENT]; Communist, Republican, and Citizen or CRC (mainly PCF)
[leader NA]; Democratic and European Social Rally or RDES (mainly
RAD and PRG) [leader NA]; French Communist Party or PCF [Robert HUE];
Generation Ecology [Brice LALONDE]; Independent Ecological Movement
or MEI [Antoine WAECHTER]; Left Radical Party or PRG (previously
Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)
[Jean-Michel BAYLET]; Liberal-Christian Right [Charles MILLON]; Liberal
Democracy or DL (originally Republican Party or PR) [Alain MADELIN];
Movement for France or MPF [Philippe DE VILLIERS]; Movement of Reformers
[Jean-Pierre SOISSON]; National Front or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; National
Republican Movement [Bruno MEGRET]; Popular Party for French Democracy or
PPDF [Herve DE CHARETTE]; Radical Party or RP [Francois LOOS]; Rally for
France or RPF [Charles PASQUA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Michelle
ALLIOT-MARIE]; Republicans and Independents or RI (mainly DL) [leader
NA]; Socialist Party or PS [Francois HOLLANDE]; The Greens [Dominique
VOYNET]; Union for French Democracy or UDF (coalition of DL, CDS, UDF,
RP, and other parties) [Francois BAYROU]; Union for the Presidential
Majority or UMP [leader NA]; Union of the Center or UDC [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders: Communist-controlled labor union
(Confederation Generale du Travail) or CGT, nearly 2.4 million members
(claimed); independent labor union or Force Ouvriere, 1 million members
(est.); independent white-collar union or Confederation Generale
des Cadres, 340,000 members (claimed); National Council of French
Employers (Conseil National du Patronat Francais) or CNPF or Patronat;
Socialist-leaning labor union (Confederation Francaise Democratique du
Travail) or CFDT, about 800,000 members (est.)
International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia
Group, BDEAC, BIS, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA
(associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, FZ, G- 5, G- 7,
G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MINURSO, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer),
OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK,
UNMOVIC, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: Ambassador Francois V. BUJON
DE L'ESTANG chancery: consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, and San Francisco
telephone: [1] (202) 944-6000
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Howard H. LEACH embassy: 2 Avenue Gabriel,
PSC 116, B210 APO AE 09777 telephone: Marseille, Strasbourg