Overview: Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. Tourism accounts for about 20% of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings.

National product: GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.5 billion (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate: NA%

National product per capita: $7,000 (1993 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): -0.6% (1991)

Unemployment rate: 10% (1990 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $614 million
expenditures: $957 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988)

Exports: $88.9 million (f.o.b., 1989)
commodities: coconut products 79%, mother-of-pearl 14%, vanilla, shark meat
partners: France 54%, US 17%, Japan 17%

Imports: $765 million (c.i.f., 1989)
commodities: fuels, foodstuffs, equipment
partners: France 53%, US 11%, Australia 6%, NZ 5%

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity:
capacity: 75,000 kW
production: 275 million kWh
consumption per capita: 1,330 kWh (1992)

Industries: tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts

Agriculture: coconut and vanilla plantations; vegetables and fruit; poultry, beef, dairy products

Economic aid:
recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.95 billion

Currency: 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 107.63 (January 1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Fiscal year: calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding French Polynesia on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of French Polynesia Economy 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about French Polynesia Economy 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.