Wallis And Futuna

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{{Infobox Country| native_name = Territoire des îles Wallis-et-Futuna| common_name = Wallis and Futuna| image_flag = Flag of Wallis and Futuna.svg| flag_caption = Unofficial flag| image_coat = Coa Wallis Futuna.svg| image_map = LocationWallisAndFutuna.png| national_motto = n/a| national_anthem = La Marseillaise]
Faka'uvea, Futunan language| capital = Mata-Utu| government_type = [Collectivité d'outre-mer| leader_title1 = President of Frances
(traditionally three)| leader_name1 = [Nicolas Sarkozy| leader_name3 = [Pesamino Taputai (none at present)
[Soane Patita Maituku,
king of Alo (Wallis and Futuna) since 2002
Visesio Moeliku,
king of Sigave since 2004] -->| percent_water = negligible| population_estimate = 15,480| population_estimate_rank = 219th| population_estimate_year = July 2005| population_census = 14,944| population_census_year = 2003| population_density_km2 = 77| population_density_sq_mi = 199 ]| currency_code = XPF| country_code = WF| time_zone =| utc_offset = +12| time_zone_DST =| utc_offset_DST =| cctld = .wf: Wallis-et-Futuna or Territoire des îles Wallis-et-Futuna, [Fakauvea and Futunan language: Uvea mo Futuna), is a Polynesian island territory (but not part of, or even contiguous with, French Polynesia) in the Oceania between Fiji and Samoa. It is made up of three main volcano tropical islands and a number of tiny islets. The territory is split into two island groups lying about 260 km apart:

Wallis Islands (Uvea), in the north

Wallis Island (Uvea)

Hoorn Islands (Futuna Islands), in the south

Since 2003 Wallis and Futuna has been a French overseas departments and territories (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 the Netherlands and the Great Britain were the European discoverers of the islands 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 missionary in 1837, who converted the population to Roman Catholic Church. Wallis is named after the Cornish people 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 (island) (on the island of Wallis) signed a treaty officially establishing a French protectorate. The kings of Sigave and Alo (Wallis and Futuna) 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 colonial empire 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.

In 2005 the 50th king, Tomasi Kulimoetoke II, faced being deposed after giving sanctuary to his grandson who was convicted of manslaughter. The king claimed his grandson should be judged by tribal law rather than by the French penal system. There were riots in the streets involving the king's supporters, which were victorious over attempts to replace the king. Two years later, Tomasi Kulimoetoke died on 7 May 2007. Currently, the state is in a six-month period of mourning. During this period, mentioning a successor is forbidden.

Politics

The territory is divided into three traditional chiefdoms (royaumes coutumiers): Uvea (island), on the island of Wallis, Sigave, on the western part of the island of Futuna, and Alo (Wallis and Futuna), on the island of Alofi and on the eastern part of the island of Futuna (only Uvea (island) is further subdivided, into three districts):

{| class="wikitable"!align="left" | Chiefdom
District || Capital city|| Area
(km²) || Population
Census 2003 ]s|-| Wallis Island (Wallis)|| Mata-Utu|| align="right" | 77.5 || align="right" | 10071|| align="right" | 23|-style="background: #ffffff;" | style="color:#aaaaaa;"|style="padding-left:1em" | Hihifo ('Uvea) ("west")|| Vaitupu || align="right" | 23.4 || align="right" | 2422|| align="right" | 5|-style="background: #ffffff;" | style="color:#aaaaaa;"|style="padding-left:1em" | Hahake District ("east")|| Mata-Utu || align="right" | 27.8 || align="right" | 3950|| align="right" | 6|-style="background: #ffffff;" | style="color:#aaaaaa;"|style="padding-left:1em" | Mu'a ('Uvea) ("first")|| Mala'efo'ou (1) || align="right" | 26.3 || align="right" | 3699|| align="right" | 12|-style="background: #eeeeee;"| colspan="5" align="center" | Hoorn Islands] (Singave)|| Leava ] || Mala'e ] || align="right" | 192.5 || align="right" | 14944 || align="right" | 38|}

(1) formerly called Mua

The capital of the territory is Mata-Utu on the island of Wallis, the most populated island. As a territory of France, it is governed under the Constitution of France 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 Nicolas Sarkozy of France as represented by High Administrator Richard Didier (since July 19, 2006). The President of the Territorial Assembly is Pesamino Taputai (since April 1st 2001. The Council of the Territory consists of three kings (kings of the three traditional chiefdoms, who are "de jure" members) 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 CFP franc, and as a permanent member of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and as an observator member of the South Pacific Forum.

Geography centred over Wallis and Futuna Islands

Wallis and Futuna is located about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand, at .

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 square mile) with 129 kilometres (80 mile) of coastline. The highest point in the territory is Mont Singavi (on the island of Futuna) at 765 metres (2,510 foot (unit of length)).

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 inch) each year. The average humidity is 80% and the temperature 26.6 °C (79.9°Fahrenheit).

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, French Polynesia and France.

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, yam (vegetable)s, taro, bananas, pigs, and goats. In 1995, about $370,000 worth of commodities (copra, breadfruit, yam (vegetable)s, 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, a subsidiary of BNP Paribas, 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 Roman Catholic Church. They speak both French language 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 of 2,100 meters (6,890 ft), on the island of Wallis, and one with a 1,000-meter (3,300 ft) unpaved strip on Futuna.

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.

Miscellaneous The territory's data code and country codes (top level Internet domain) is .wf. Currently this is suspended in favor of the .fr .nc (Nouvelle Calédonie) data code. Since 2005, it has a University, though Oregon's Office of Degree Authorization lists the school as operating out of London, UK, and unaccredited in the state of Oregon.

See also

French overseas departments and territories
Administrative divisions of France
Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans
Vicariate Apostolic of Oriental Oceania

References

External links

Official website
Open Directory Project - Wallis and Futuna directory category
Map of Wallis and Futuna, with district boundaries
Information about Wallis and Futuna
Uvea mo Futuna Wallis and Futuna online magazine
Pictures of Wallis