the three great phosphate rock islands in the
Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and
Nauru

People
------

Population: 224,911 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 35% (male 40,450; female 39,038)
15-64 years: 61% (male 70,506; female 65,620)
65 years and over: 4% (male 4,636; female 4,661) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.19% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 27.15 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 5.27 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.06 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 70.94 years
male: 68.49 years
female: 73.5 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.26 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality:
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian

Ethnic divisions: Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%,
metropolitan French 4%

Religions: Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 16%

Languages: French (official), Tahitian (official)

Literacy: age 14 and over can read and write, but definition of
literacy not available (1977 est.)
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 98%

Government
----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia
local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise
local short form: Polynesie Francaise

Data code: FP

Type of government: overseas territory of France since 1946

Capital: Papeete

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France);
there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the
US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel
des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du
Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French
Polynesia

Independence: none (overseas territory of France)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July
(1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: based on French system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal