Wallis and Futuna
Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands
Wallis and Futuna (French Wallis et Futuna, sometimes Uvea and Futuna ) is a French overseas territory ( collectivity d' outre- mer) in the South Pacific and is a lying between Fiji and Samoa group of islands. The capital is Mata -Utu on Uvéa.
Geography
The territory comprises the two islands of the Wallis Islands (French Îles Wallis ) with the main island of Uvea (Fr. also Wallis, Wallisian. Uvea) in the northeast and Horn Islands (French Îles de Horne ) with the main islands of Futuna and Alofi in the southwest.
The two groups of islands lie 225 km ( Uvea island to the island of Alofi ) apart in the South Pacific Ocean at about two thirds of the way between Hawaii and New Zealand and are expected to Polynesia.
The three main islands, Futuna (46 km ²), Alofi (18 km ²) and uvea (78 km ²), are volcanic in nature and are characterized by forested mountains. However, the deforestation increases to a small extent, to meet the higher and higher energy needs. Some points of the two groups of islands are uninhabitable due to freshwater shortage.
All the islands have a tropical climate. Between November and April it is hot and rainy, from May to October cool and dry. It rains about 2,500 to 3,000 millimeters per year. The humidity is about 80 %, the annual average temperature is 26.6 ° C.
Population
Two-thirds of the population live on the island of Wallis, one-third on the island of Futuna. The vast majority of the inhabitants are Polynesians, a small minority are the descendants of the French conquerors. More than 16,000 Wallisianer and Futunianer live as expatriates in New Caledonia. The islanders speak French and Wallisianisch or Futunisch, the two Polynesian languages . However, only 10 % of the population speak French as first (native ) language. Only half of the population over 15 years ( men and women ) can read and write. The population has declined from 14,944 in 2003 to around 2% per year to 13,484 in 2008.
Religion
The first Marist missionaries arrived in 1837 on the archipelagos. Today, 98 % of the population belong to the Roman Catholic Church. On November 11, 1935 Apostolic Vicariate was erected, which was collected on 21 June 1966 in the rank of a diocese and the Archdiocese of Nouméa (New Caledonia) was assigned as suffragan. The diocese has five parishes, ten priests ( nine diocesan priests, two in France, and one religious), five lay brothers, 40 nuns and six major seminarians. Bishop since June 2005, the Frenchman Ghislain de Rasilly SM.
History
Were discovered the islands of Futuna and Alofi Futuna 1616. Jacob Le Maire by the Dutchman Willem Cornelisz Schouten and who described it as Horn Islands 150 years later the English navigator Samuel Wallis discovered the eponymous archipelago of Wallis Islands. In 1842, France declared the islands his protectorate and occupied it, 1888.
In a plebiscite on December 27, 1959, the population of the islands voted with 94.3 % for the integration in the French Republic. In 1961 Wallis and Futuna to the status of an overseas territory ( territoire d' outre- mer) under Article 74 of the Constitution, the inhabitants were French citizens. 2003 replaced a constitutional amendment territoire d'outre the term number by collectivité d'outre - mer; for Wallis and Futuna have had no concrete changes.
Policy
Wallis and Futuna Islands consist of three traditional monarchies: Uvea ( Wallis on ), Alo and Sigave rule (on Futuna ), whose kings, together with the selected three legislatures and the representatives of France ( administrateur supérieur ). The CFI covers the entire territory.
Wallis and Futuna is a Member ( since 2007 Albert Likuvalu ) and a Senator (since 1998 Robert Laufoaulu, 2008 re-elected) in the two chambers of the French Parliament represent and, together with New Caledonia and French Polynesia, a Member of the European Parliament (since 2009 Maurice Ponga from New Caledonia ).
Unlike in other French territories in the Pacific, there are in the 200 kilometers away from each lying island groups hardly autonomy aspirations. Wallis and Futuna not belong to the European Union, but are as overseas countries and territories associated with this.
Economy
The islands are mainly characterized by traditional subsistence. Thus live the 80 % of residents from the cultivation of coconuts and vegetables, livestock (mostly pigs ), and fishing. 4 % of the population are employed in the public service.
Financial subsidies received by the State probably from the mother country France. The sale of fishing rights to Japan and South Korea as well as import taxes probably also provide for state income.
In recent years caused by the ( diving ) tourism is an important source of income. On almost all main islands there are small hotels.
Sports
The national football team of Wallis and Futuna is the official football team of the overseas territory. It is neither a member of the OFC still in the FIFA and therefore not entitled to start even with qualifications to the world championships and OFC championships.
The selection has played only matches against other opponents from Oceania. Since 1995 no more matches were played.