:Wake Island Communications
Ports:
none; because of the reefs, there are only two offshore anchorages for large
ships
Airports:
1 with permanent-surface runways 2,440-3,659 m
Telecommunications:
underwater cables to Guam and through Midway to Honolulu; 1 Autovon circuit
off the Overseas Telephone System (OTS); Armed Forces Radio/Television
Service (AFRTS) radio and television service provided by satellite;
broadcast stations - 1 AM, no FM, no TV
Note:
formerly an important commercial aviation base, now used only by US military
and some commercial cargo planes
:Wake Island Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the US
:Wallis and Futuna Geography
Total area:
274 km2
Land area:
274 km2; includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile
Alofi, and 20 islets
Comparative area:
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
129 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to
October)
Terrain:
volcanic origin; low hills
Natural resources:
negligible
Land use:
arable land 5%; permanent crops 20%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and
woodland 0%; other 75%
Environment:
both island groups have fringing reefs
Note:
located 4,600 km southwest of Honolulu in the South Pacific Ocean about
two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
:Wallis and Futuna People
Population:
17,095 (July 1992), growth rate 3.0% (1992)
Birth rate:
27 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
8 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
29 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
70 years male, 71 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
3.6 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders; adjective -
Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander
Ethnic divisions:
almost entirely Polynesian
Religions:
largely Roman Catholic
Languages:
French, Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language)
Literacy:
50% (male 50%, female 51%) at all ages can read and write (1969)
Labor force:
NA
Organized labor:
NA
:Wallis and Futuna Government
Long-form name:
Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
Type:
overseas territory of France
Capital:
Mata Utu (on Ile Uvea)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France)
Independence:
none (overseas territory of France)
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
French
National holiday:
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch:
French president, chief administrator; note - there are three traditional
kings with limited powers
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Assembly (Assemblee Territoriale)
Judicial branch:
none; justice generally administered under French law by the chief
administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and
there is a magistrate in Mata Utu
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Head of Government:
Chief Administrator Robert POMMIES (since 26 September 1990)
Political parties and leaders:
Rally for the Republic (RPR); Union Populaire Locale (UPL); Union Pour la
Democratie Francaise (UDF); Lua kae tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des
Radicaux de Gauche (MRG)
Suffrage:
universal adult at age 18
Elections:
Territorial Assembly:
last held 15 March 1987 (next to be held NA March 1992); results - percent
of vote by party NA; seats - (20 total) RPR 7, UPL 5, UDF 4, UNF 4
French Senate:
last held NA September 1989 (next to be held by NA September 1992); results
- percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) RPR 1
French National Assembly:
last held 12 June 1988 (next to be held by NA September 1992); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) MRG 1
Member of:
FZ, SPC
Diplomatic representation:
as an overseas territory of France, local interests are represented in the
US by France
Flag:
the flag of France is used