tary - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US; launch support facility is
part of the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS)
administered by US Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC)

Transnational Issues Wake Island

Disputes - international:
claimed by Marshall Islands

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Wallis and Futuna

Introduction Wallis and Futuna

Background:
Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and
18th centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate over
the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted
to become a French overseas territory.

Geography Wallis and Futuna

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of
the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates:
13 18 S, 176 12 W

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 274 sq km
note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island),
Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
water: 0 sq km
land: 274 sq km

Area - comparative:
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
129 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season
(May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity);
average temperature 26.6 degrees C

Terrain:
volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m

Natural resources:
NEGL

Land use:
arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 25%
other: 70% (2001)

Irrigated land:
NA sq km

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain)
largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel
source; 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

Geography - note:
both island groups have fringing reefs

People Wallis and Futuna

Population:
15,880 (July 2004 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA
65 years and over: NA

Population grow