NAVIGATION
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NAVIGATION
Territory of French Polynesia
Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
INTRODUCTION
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Background:
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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. |
GEOGRAPHY
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Location:
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Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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15 00 S, 140 00 W |
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Map references:
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Oceania |
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Area:
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total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
water: 507 sq km land: 3,660 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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2,525 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical, but moderate |
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Terrain:
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mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
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Natural resources:
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timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
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Land use:
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arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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NA sq km |
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Natural hazards:
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occasional cyclonic storms in January |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); 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 |
PEOPLE
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Population:
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257,847 (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 29% (male 38,184; female 36,631)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 88,250; female 81,165) 65 years and over: 5.3% (male 6,850; female 6,767) (2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.67% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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18.17 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.49 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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3.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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 (2002 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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8.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 75.23 years
female: 77.69 years (2002 est.) male: 72.88 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.18 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
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Religions:
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Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% |
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Languages:
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French (official), Tahitian (official) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |