French Polynesia
Basic Data
| Official Country Name: | French Polynesia |
| Region (Map name): | Oceania |
| Population: | 249,110 |
| Language(s): | French, Tahitian |
| Literacy rate: | 98% |
French Polynesia, a collection of volcanic islands and atolls in the eastern South Pacific, is perhaps best known for its largest island, Tahiti.
There are two daily newspapers in French Polynesia, both publishing in French and originating in Tahiti. Neither publishes on Sunday. La Dépĉche is the largest and more renowned of the two; its circulation is approximately 14,000 and it maintains a website. Founded in 1961, Les Nouvelles de Tahiti was the island's first daily newspaper; it has a circulation of 6,700 and provides news content to the Web portal tahiti1.com .
The islands also support two major weekly publications. The Tahiti Sun Press is published in English and geared toward English-speaking tourists. It is distributed free of charge in local hotels. TahitiRama , which appears online and every Thursday in print, focuses on art and fashion and is a spin-off of a popular television show.
French Polynesia has three television stations broadcasting to approximately 30,000 televisions. There are 14 FM radio stations, two AM radio stations, and more than 100,000 radios. There are two Internet service providers.
The country encompasses five major island groups: the Society Islands (which include Tahiti and Bora Bora), the Tuamotus, the Marquesas, the Austral Islands, and the Gambier Islands. Today the country is a French overseas territory; French rule began in Tahiti in 1824 and spread to the other islands in the area during the latter part of the nineteenth century.
The official head of state is the French president, represented locally by a high commissioner of the republic. The local government is headed by a president of territorial government, and the unicameral, 41-seat territorial assembly also is presided over by a President. The approximate population of French Polynesia is 250,000, with the majority of the population located on Tahiti. The official language is French, although Tahitian is spoken throughout the islands. Not surprisingly, tourism makes up the largest part of the economy, making up about 25 percent of the gross national product. The black pearl industry is also an important economic sector.
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). "French Polynesia." World Factbook 2001 . 2001. Available from www.cia.gov .
Tahiti Friendship Society. Tahitinet.com . 2002. Available from www.tahitinet.com .
Worldinformation.com . 2002. Available from www.worldinformation.com .
Jenny B. Davis