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Wallis and Futuna

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Oceania
(Australasia)

   Territoire des îles Wallis et Futuna

   Flag of Wallis and Futuna Coat of arms of Wallis and Futuna
   Flag                      Coat of arms
   Motto: n/a
   Anthem: La Marseillaise
   Location of Wallis and Futuna
   Capital
   (and largest city) Mata-Utu
   13°20′S 176°20′W
   Official languages French
   ʻUvean, Futunan
   Government Overseas territory of France
    - President Jacques Chirac
    - Administrateur supérieur Xavier de Furst
    - President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione Kanimoa
    - Kings
   (traditionally three) Tomasi Kulimoetoke II,
   king of Uvea since 1959
   Soane Patita Maituku,
   king of Tu´a (Alo) since 2002
   Visesio Moeliku,
   king of Sigave since 2004
   Non-sovereign (overseas territory)
   Area
    - Total 264 km² ( 211th)
   102 sq mi
    - Water (%) negligible
   Population
    - July 2005 estimate 15,480 ( 219th)
    - 2003 census 14,944
    - Density 77/km² ( 112th)
   199/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2004 estimate
    - Total $60 million ( not ranked)
    - Per capita $ 3,800 ( not ranked)
   HDI  (2003) n/a (unranked) ( unranked)
   Currency CFP franc ( XPF)
   Time zone ( UTC+12)
   Internet TLD .wf
   Calling code +681

   Wallis and Futuna, officially the Territory of Wallis and Futuna
   Islands (French: Wallis et Futuna or Territoire des îles Wallis et
   Futuna), is composed of two separate groups with three main volcanic
   tropical islands, which are separated 260 km:
     * Wallis Islands (Uvea), in the north
          + Wallis Island (Uvea)
     * Hoorn Islands (Futuna Islands), in the south
          + Futuna
          + Alofi

   They are located in the South Pacific between Fiji and Samoa. Since
   2003 Wallis and Futuna has been a French overseas collectivity (
   collectivité d'outre-mer, or COM). Between 1961 and 2003, it had the
   status of a French overseas territory ( territoire d'outre-mer, or
   TOM).

History

   Although they were discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th
   and 18th centuries, it was the French who were the first Europeans to
   settle in the territory, with the arrival of French missionaries in
   1837, who converted the population to Catholicism. Wallis is named
   after the Cornish explorer Samuel Wallis.

   On April 5, 1842, they asked for the protection of France after the
   rebellion of a part of the local population. On April 5, 1887, the
   queen of Uvea (on the island of Wallis) signed a treaty officially
   establishing a French protectorate. The kings of Sigave and Tu´a (Alo)
   on the islands of Futuna and Alofi also signed a treaty establishing
   French protectorate on February 16, 1888. The islands were put under
   the authority of the French colony of New Caledonia.

   In 1917, the three traditional chiefdoms were annexed to France and
   turned into the Colony of Wallis and Futuna, still under the authority
   of the Colony of New Caledonia.

   In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French
   overseas territory, effective in 1961, thus ending their subordination
   to New Caledonia.

Politics

   The territory is divided into three traditional chiefdoms ( royaumes
   coutumiers): Uvea, on the island of Wallis, Sigave, on the western part
   of the island of Futuna, and Tu´a (Alo), on the island of Alofi and on
   the eastern part of the island of Futuna:
        Chiefdom      Capital   Area
                               (km^2) Population
                                      Census 2003 Villages
                       Wallis Islands
   `Uvea (Wallis)^(1) Matāʻutu   77.5       10071       23
                       Hoorn Islands
   Sigave (Singave)   Leava      30.0        1880        6
   Tu`a (Alo)         Mala'e     85.0        2993        9
   Wallis and Futuna  Matāʻutu  192.5       14944       38

   ^(1) further subdivided into three districts: Hanake, Hihifo, and Mua.

   The capital of the territory is Matāʻutu on the island of Wallis, the
   most populated island. As a territory of France, it is governed under
   the French constitution of September 28, 1958, uses the French legal
   system, and suffrage is universal for those over 18 years of age. The
   French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; the high
   administrator is 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.

   The head of state is President Jacques Chirac of France as represented
   by High Administrator Xavier de Furst (since January 18, 2005). The
   head of government is President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione
   Kanimoa (since January 2001. The Council of the Territory consists of
   three kings (kings of the three traditional chiefdoms) and three
   members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the
   Territorial Assembly.

   The legislative branch consists of the unicameral Territorial Assembly
   or Assemblée territoriale of 20 seats; the members are elected by
   popular vote to serve five-year terms. Wallis and Futuna elects one
   senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National
   Assembly.

   Justice is generally administered under French law by a tribunal of
   first instance in Mata-Utu, but the three traditional chiefdoms
   administer justice according to customary law (only for non-criminal
   cases). The court of appeal is in Nouméa, New Caledonia.

   The territory participates in the Franc Zone, and Secretariat of the
   Pacific Community.

Geography

   Orthographic projection centred over Wallis and Futuna Islands
   Enlarge
   Orthographic projection centred over Wallis and Futuna Islands

   Wallis and Futuna is located about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to
   New Zealand, at 13°18′S 176°12′W.

   The territory includes the island of Wallis (the most populated), the
   island of Futuna, the uninhabited island of Alofi (the population of
   Alofi was reportedly eaten by the cannibal people of Futuna in one
   single raid in the 19th century), and 20 uninhabited islets, totaling
   274 square kilometres (106  sq mi) with 129 kilometres (80  mi) of
   coastline. The highest point in the territory is Mont Singavi (on the
   island of Futuna) at 765 metres (2,510  ft).

   The islands have a hot, rainy season from November to April and a cool,
   dry season from May to October. The rains accumulate 2,500 to 3,000
   millimeters (98–118  in) each year. The average humidity is 80% and the
   temperature 26.6°C (79.9° F).

   Only five percent of the islands' land area is arable land; permanent
   crops cover another 20%. Deforestation (only small portions of the
   original forests remain), largely as a result of the continued use of
   wood as the main fuel source, is a serious problem; 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.

Economy

   The territory's economy is limited to traditional subsistence
   agriculture, with about 80% of the labor force earning its livelihood
   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.

   The gross domestic product had in 1995 a purchasing power parity of
   about $28.7 million total, about $2,000 per capita. The territory takes
   in about $20 million per year in revenues against about $17 million in
   expenditures.

   Industries include copra, handicrafts, fishing, and lumber.
   Agricultural products include breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas, pigs,
   and goats. In 1995, about $370,000 worth of commodities ( copra,
   breadfruit, yams, taro roots, handicrafts) were exported, and about
   $13.5 million worth of commodities (foodstuffs, manufactured goods,
   transportation equipment, fuel, clothing) were imported, primarily from
   France, Australia, and New Zealand.

   The territory uses the CFP Franc, along with the French territories of
   New Caledonia and French Polynesia; the CFP franc (XPF) is fixed vs.
   the euro, at the rate of 1,000 XPF = 8.38 euro.

   Banking: In 1991, BNP Nouvelle Calédonie established a subsidiary,
   Banque de Wallis et Futuna, in the territory. Two years earlier Banque
   Indosuez had closed its branch at Mata-Utu, leaving the territory
   without any bank.

Demographics

   The total population of the territory at the 2003 census was 14,944
   (67.4% on the island of Wallis, 32.6% on the island of Futuna), the
   vast majority of Polynesian ethnicity, with a small minority of French
   descent. More than 16,000 Wallisians and Futunians live as expatriates
   in New Caledonia, which is more than the total population of Wallis and
   Futuna. The overwhelming majority of the people in Wallis and Futuna
   are Catholic. They speak both French and Wallisian or Futunian, the
   indigenous Polynesian languages. However, French is only spoken by 10%
   of the population as a first language. Half the total population (both
   men and women) age 15 and over can read and write.

Culture

   The culture of those islands is typically Polynesian. Most notably, the
   Music of Wallis and Futuna has a rich tradition.

   The Kailao, often thought of as a Tongan war dance was imported to
   Tonga from 'Uvea.

Transportation and communications

   In 1994, the territory had 1,125 telephones in use, had one AM radio
   station, and two television broadcast stations.

   The island of Wallis has about 100 kilometers (62 mi) of highway, 16
   paved, while the island of Futuna has only 20 kilometers (12.5 mi),
   none of it paved. The territory has two main ports and harbors, Leava
   (on the island of Futuna), and Mata-Utu, that support its merchant
   marine fleet consisting of three ships totaling 92,060 GRT or 45,881
   DWT: two passenger ships and a petroleum tanker. There are two
   airports, one with a paved runway about 2,000 meters (6,600 ft) long,
   one with a 1,000-meter (3,300 ft) unpaved strip.

   The only commercial flights that go to Wallis are operated by the New
   Caledonia based Aircalin. There is an Aircalin office in Mata-Utu on
   Wallis. There are no commercial boat operators.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallis_and_Futuna"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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