]! ^! 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. 
]" ^" Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand ^# 13 18 S, 176 12 W ^$ Oceania ^% `! 274 sq km `" 274 sq km `# 0 sq km note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets ^& 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC ^' 0 km ^( 129 km ^) `$ 12 nm `I 200 nm ^* 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 ^+ volcanic origin; low hills ^, `% Pacific Ocean 0 m `& Mont Singavi 765 m ^- NEGL ^. `' 5% `( 25% `) 70% (2001) ^/ NA sq km ^0 NA ^1 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 ^2 both island groups have fringing reefs 
]# ^3 16,025 (July 2005 est.) ^4 `* NA `+ NA `, NA ^6 NA% ^7 NA births/1,000 population ^8 NA deaths/1,000 population ^9 NA migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2005 est.) ^; `! NA `- NA `. NA ^< `1 NA years `- NA years `. NA years ^= NA children born/woman ^> NA% ^? NA ^@ NA ^A `2 Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders `3 Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander ^B Polynesian ^C Roman Catholic 99%, other 1% ^D Wallisian 58.9% (indigenous Polynesian language), Futunian 30.1%, French 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 census) ^E `M age 15 and over can read and write `1 50% `- 50% `. 50% (1969 est.) 
]$ ^F `4 Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands `5 Wallis and Futuna `V Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna `W Wallis et Futuna ^G overseas territory of France ^H NA ^I Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea) ^J none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis ^K none (overseas territory of France) ^L Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) ^M 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) ^N French legal system ^O 18 years of age; universal ^P `6 President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Administrator Xavier DE FURST (since 18 January 2005) `7 President of the Territorial Assembly Patalione KANIMOA (since NA January 2001) `8 Council of the Territory consists of three kings and three members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly note: there are three traditional kings with limited powers `9 French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly ^Q unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) `9 last held 11 March 2002 (next to be held March 2007) `: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR and affiliates 13, Socialists and affiliates 7 note: Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate - elections last held 27 September 1998 (next to be held by September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (now UMP) 1; French National Assembly - elections last held 16 June 2002 (next to be held by NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats - RPR (UMP) 1 ^R none; justice generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu ^S Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians) [leader NA]; Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG [leader NA]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Clovis LOGOLOGOFOLAU]; Taumu'a Lelei [Soane Muni UHILA]; Union Populaire Locale or UPL [Falakiko GATA]; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA] ^T NA ^U FZ, UPU ^V none (overseas territory of France) ^W none (overseas territory of France) ^X a large white modified Maltese cross - shifted a little off center toward the fly and slightly downward - on a red background; the flag of France outlined in white on two sides is in the upper hoist quadrant; the flag of France is used for official occasions 
]% ^Y The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% labor force earnings from agriculture (coconuts and vegetables), livestock (mostly pigs), and fishing. About 4% of the population is employed in government. Revenues come from French Government subsidies, licensing of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea, import taxes, and remittances from expatriate workers in New Caledonia. ^Z $60 million (2004 est.) ^[ NA% ^\ purchasing power parity - $3,800 (2004 est.) ^] `; NA% `< NA% `= NA% ^^ NA ^_ agriculture, livestock, and fishing 80%, government 4% (2001 est.) ^` NA% ^a NA% _! `> NA% `? NA% _" NA% _# `@ $20 million `A $17 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.) _$ breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats _% copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber _& NA% _' NA kWh _( NA kWh _) 0 kWh (2002) _* 0 kWh (2002) _/ $250,000 f.o.b. (1999) _0 copra, chemicals, construction materials _1 Italy 40%, Croatia 15%, US 14%, Denmark 13% _2 $300,000 f.o.b. (1999) _3 chemicals, machinery, passenger ships, consumer goods _4 France 97%, Australia 2%, New Zealand 1% _5 $NA _6 assistance from France _7 Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) _8 Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.43 (2000) _9 calendar year 
]& _: 1,900 (2002) _; 0 (1994) _< `B NA `C NA `D country code - 681 _= AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0 (2000) _> 2 (2000) _? .wf _A 900 (2002) 
]' _B `! 120 km (Ile Uvea 100 km, Ile Futuna 20 km) `E 16 km (all on Ile Uvea) `F 104 km (Ile Uvea 84 km, Ile Futuna 20 km) _C Leava, Mata-Utu _K `! 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 74,754 GRT/1,187 DWT by type: passenger 4 `S 4 (France 3, United States 1) (2005) _D 2 (2004 est.) _E `! 1 `^ 1 (2004 est.) _L `! 1 `_ 1 (2004 est.) 
]( _G defense is the responsibility of France 
]) _H none 