The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century.

In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium.

The tests were suspended in January 1996.

In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded.

Source: CIA World Fact Book

Population: 278,963 (July 2007 est.)

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Age structure: 0-14 years: 25.4% (male 36,223/female 34,677) 15-64 years: 68.2% (male 98,784/female 91,585) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 8,933/female 8,761) (2007 est.)

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Median age: total: 28.3 years male: 28.6 years female: 28 years (2007 est.)

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Population growth rate: 1.461% (2007 est.)

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Birth rate: 16.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Death rate: 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Net migration rate: 2.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

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Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.045 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.079 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.066 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

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Infant mortality rate: total: 7.84 deaths/1,000 live births male: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

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Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.31 years male: 73.88 years female: 78.86 years (2007 est.)

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Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

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HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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

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

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Religions: Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6%

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Languages: French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census)

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Literacy: definition: age 14 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.)

Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services.

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GDP (purchasing power parity): $4.58 billion (2003 est.)

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GDP (official exchange rate): $3.8 billion (2002)

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GDP - real growth rate: 5.1% (2002)

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GDP - per capita (PPP): $17,500 (2003 est.)

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GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 3.1% industry: 19% services: 76.9% (2005)

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Labor force: 65,930 (December 2005)

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Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 13% industry: 19% services: 68% (2002)

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Unemployment rate: 11.7% (2005)

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Population below poverty line: NA%

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Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.1% (2006 est.)

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Budget: revenues: $865 million expenditures: $644.1 million; including capital expenditures of $185 million (1999)

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Agriculture - products: fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products

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Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates

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Industrial production growth rate: NA%

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Electricity - production: 607 million kWh (2005)

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Electricity - consumption: 533 million kWh (2005)

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Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2004)

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Oil - production: 0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - consumption: 6,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

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Oil - exports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - imports: NA bbl/day

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Oil - proved reserves: 0 bbl

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Natural gas - production: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Natural gas - consumption: 0 cu m (2004 est.)

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Exports: $211 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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Exports - commodities: cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat

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Exports - partners: France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2006)

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Imports: $1.706 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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Imports - commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment

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Imports - partners: France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2006)

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Debt - external: $NA

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Economic aid - recipient: $580 million (2004)

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Currency (code): Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

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Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002) note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

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Fiscal year: calendar year