POLYNESIA (FRENCH)
A French possession in Oceania, in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean. It includes 118 islands of volcanic or coral origin: the Society Islands (the largest of which is Tahiti), as well as the Tuamotu, Gambier, Tubuai, Marquesas Islands, and others. The total area of the islands is 4.2 thousand km², scattered over an area of 2.5 million km² (comparable to Europe). The administrative center is Papeete on Tahiti (23.5 thousand). Administratively, it is divided into 5 districts. The population is 220 thousand (1997), mainly Polynesians, French, and Chinese. Two-thirds of the population lives on Tahiti. The official languages are French and Polynesian; the indigenous population speaks their native Polynesian languages, primarily Tahitian. Religion: about 54% of the population are Protestant Calvinists, 30% are Catholics. The currency is the euro.
The territory has been under French protectorate since 1842. Since 1946, it has had the status of an overseas territory, and currently, it is an autonomous territory of France (since 1996). Under the decentralization law in 1984, it received internal self-governance (the governor was replaced by a high commissioner, since 2001 - M. Mathieu, who oversees defense, foreign policy, and internal security). In 2004, a new law on the status of Polynesia was adopted, expanding its autonomy: "positive discrimination" regarding labor and land acquisitions for indigenous Polynesians, a simplified system for approving local laws, and the right to international contacts, even beyond the Pacific region. According to the new law, the territory received a special status of "Overseas Country" within the French Republic. The legislative body is the Assembly of French Polynesia (49 advisors), elected by the population in general elections for a term of 5 years across 5 districts. The executive power is exercised by the government. The position of the head of the executive power has been transformed into the President of Polynesia, who can now be elected not only from among the members of the territorial assembly.
The Economic, Social, and Cultural Committee is an advisory body consisting of 41 members. The France-Territory Committee has been operating since 1981. Polynesia is represented in the French parliament by 2 deputies and 1 senator. 1 advisor is in the Economic and Social Council of France.
Political parties: The People's Union for the Polynesian Republic - founded in 1958, chairman - G. Floss, Polynesian Union, People's Power - a sovereignty movement (1975), Polynesian Accord, New Party, Serving the People, New Star, Generational Connection (2002).
Trade union association - Federation of Trade Unions of French Polynesia.
The first islands of French Polynesia to be reached by Europeans were the Marquesas Islands (in 1595, by the Spaniard A. Mendana). Significant contributions to the exploration of several islands were made by Russian navigators I. F. Krusenstern, O. E. Kotzebue, M. P. Lazarev. In the 1840s, the main part of this group of islands was seized by France, which established its control over them (from 1885 to 1958, it was called "French Possessions in Oceania").
GDP per capita (2002) - 18,050 USD. 4% of GDP is from agriculture, 18% from industry, and 78% from the service sector.
The economically active population is more than 70 thousand people. Unemployment (1998) - 13.2%. 13% of the population is employed in agriculture, 19% in industry, and 68% in the service sector.
The mainstays of the island's economy: tourism, fishing, pearl production, agriculture. In 2003, Polynesia was visited by about 213 thousand tourists (mainly French, Americans, Japanese). Revenues from the tourism sector in 2002 amounted to 250 million euros.
Main agricultural crops: coconuts, coffee, pineapples, watermelons, bananas, vanilla. Livestock: cattle, pigs, chickens.
Forests - 10 thousand ha. There are deposits of phosphates and cobalt.
In 2000, the fish catch amounted to 8.8 thousand tons.
An important source of income for the island is pearl exports (2002 - worth 125 million euros).
On the atoll of Mururoa is the French rocket-nuclear testing center (testing ceased in 1996).
In 1999, exports amounted to 21.3 billion CFP francs (pearls, vanilla, coconut oil), imports - 99.7 billion CFP francs. The metropolis accounts for 37% of imports.
Several periodicals are published, including daily newspapers "Depeche de Tahiti" (16.5 thousand copies), "Nouvelle de Tahiti" (6 thousand). Radio and television broadcasts are carried out by the company "Réseau France Outre-Mer" and the channel "France Ô".