Wallis and Futuna

Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands

Australia and Oceania Mata-Utu

Population

16.0K

Area

142 km²

GDP

N/A

GDP Per Capita

N/A

Pop. Density

113/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

₣CFP franc(XPF)

Calling Code

+681

Timezone

UTC+12:00

Languages

French

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Wallis and Futuna Islander

Background

Around 800 B.C., the first settlers arrived on the islands of Wallis and Futuna, which are a natural midpoint between Fiji and Samoa. Around A.D. 1500, Tongans invaded Wallis, and a chiefdom system resembling Tonga’s formal hierarchy developed on the island. Tongans attempted to settle Futuna but were repeatedly rebuffed. Samoans settled Futuna in the 1600s, and a slightly less centralized chiefdom system formed. Dutch explorers were the first Europeans to see the islands in 1616, followed intermittently by other Europeans, including British explorer Samuel WALLIS in 1767. French Catholic missionaries were the first Europeans to permanently settle Wallis and Futuna in 1837, and they converted most of the population of both islands by 1846. The missionaries and newly converted King LAVELUA of Uvea on Wallis asked France for a protectorate in 1842 following a local rebellion. France agreed, although the protectorate status would not be ratified until 1887. In 1888, King MUSULAMU of Alo and King TAMOLE of Sigave, both on Futuna, signed a treaty establishing a French protectorate; the Wallis and Futuna protectorate was integrated into the territory of New Caledonia the same year. France renegotiated the terms of the protectorate with the territory’s three kings in 1910, expanding French authority.

Wallis and Futuna was the only French colony to side with the Vichy regime during World War II, until the arrival of Free French and US troops in 1942. In 1959, inhabitants of the islands voted to separate from New Caledonia, becoming a French overseas territory in 1961. Despite the split, a significant Wallisian and Futunan community still lives in New Caledonia. In 2003, Wallis and Futuna became a French overseas collectivity. The islands joined the Pacific Islands Forum as an associate member in 2018, two years after France’s other Pacific territories became full members of the organization.

Geography16

Location

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand

Geographic coordinates

13 18 S, 176 12 W

Map references

Oceania

Area

total : 142 sq km
land: 142 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

129 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 250-300 cm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees Celsius

Terrain

volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation

highest point: Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 522 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

NEGL

Land use

agricultural land

42.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 35.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest

74.9% (2023 est.)

other

0% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

0.6 sq km (2022)

Natural hazards

cyclones; tsunamis

Geography - note

both island groups have fringing reefs; Wallis contains several prominent crater lakes

People & Society23

Population

total: 15,998 (2025 est.)
male: 8,217
female: 7,781

Nationality

noun: Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders
adjective: Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Ethnic groups

Polynesian

Languages

Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) 58.9%, Futunian 30.1%, French (official) 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Age structure

0-14 years: 19.8% (male 1,643/female 1,511)
15-64 years: 67.5% (male 5,535/female 5,247)
65 years and over: 12.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,023/female 1,005)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 48.7 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 29 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 19.7 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 5.1 (2025 est.)

Median age

total: 36.9 years (2025 est.)
male: 35.5 years
female: 37.3 years

Population growth rate

0.19% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

11.63 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

-3.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 0% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1,000 MATA-UTU (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.09 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 3.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.1 years (2024 est.)
male: 78.2 years
female: 84.2 years

Total fertility rate

1.71 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.84 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural: rural: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: NA
unimproved: rural: rural: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural: rural: 94.2% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total: total: 94.2% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural: rural: 5.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 5.8% of population (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.2% (2018 est.)

Literacy

total population: 99.8% (2023 est.)
male: 99.9% (2023 est.)
female: 100% (2023 est.)

Government22

Country name

conventional long form

Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands

conventional short form

Wallis and Futuna

local long form

Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna

local short form

Wallis et Futuna

former

Hoorn Islands is the former name of the Futuna Islands

etymology

Wallis Island is named after British Captain Samuel WALLIS, who visited in 1767; Futuna is a local name, and the meaning is unclear

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Assembly); overseas collectivity of France

Dependency status

overseas collectivity of France

Capital

name: Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
geographic coordinates: 13 57 S, 171 56 W
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

3 administrative precincts (circonscriptions, singular - circonscription) Alo, Sigave, Uvea

Legal system

French civil law

Constitution

history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
amendment process: French constitution amendment procedures apply

Citizenship

see France

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Administrator Superior Jean-François de MANHEULLE (since 17 November 2025)
head of government: President of the Territorial Assembly Munipoese MULI'AKA'AKA (since 20 March 2022)
cabinet: Council of the Territory appointed by the administrator superior on the advice of the Territorial Assembly
election/appointment process: French president elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); administrator superior 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 elected by assembly members

Legislative branch

legislature name

Territorial Assembly (Assemblée territoriale)

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

20 (directly elected)

electoral system

proportional representation

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

3/20/2022

parties elected and seats per party

Ofa mo'oni ki tou fenua (2); Mauli fetokoniaki (2); 1 seat each from 16 other lists

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Court of Assizes or Cour d'Assizes (consists of 1 judge; court hears primarily serious criminal cases)
judge selection and term of office: NA
subordinate courts: courts of first instance; labor court

Political parties

Left Radical Party or PRG (formerly Radical Socialist Party or PRS and the Left Radical Movement or MRG)
Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians)
Rally for Wallis and Futuna-The Republicans (Rassemblement pour Wallis and Futuna) or RPWF-LR
Socialist Party or PS
Taumu'a Lelei
Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas collectivity of France)

International organization participation

PIF (observer), SPC, UPU

Independence

none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday

Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)

Flag

description: unofficial local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; a small flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper-left corner

meaning: the triangles represent the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator

history: the design is derived from a red flag with a white cross that French missionaries introduced in the 19th century

National symbol(s)

red saltire (Saint Andrew's Cross) on a white square on a red field

National color(s)

red, white

National anthem(s)

title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)
lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle
history: official anthem, as a French territory

Economy9

Economic overview

lower-middle-income, agrarian French dependency economy; heavily reliant on French subsidies; licenses fishing rights to Japan and South Korea; major remittances from New Caledonia; aging workforce; import-dependent; deforestation-fueled fragility

Agricultural products

coconuts, breadfruit, yams, taro, bananas; pigs, goats; fish

Industries

copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Budget

revenues: $32.54 million (2015 est.)
expenditures: $34.18 million (2015 est.)

Exports - partners

Denmark 35%, Sweden 14%, Netherlands 14%, Pakistan 9%, Poland 7% (2023)

Exports - commodities

seats (2023)

Imports - partners

Fiji 35%, France 32%, NZ 11%, Australia 6%, China 4% (2023)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, prepared meat, poultry, iron pipe fittings, animal food (2023)

Exchange rates

Currency

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

110.31 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

110.347 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

113.474 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

100.88 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

104.711 (2020 est.)

Communications5

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 3,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 12,200 (2023)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 107 (2023)

Broadcast media

publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which broadcasts to France's overseas departments, collectivities, and territories, is carried on the RFO Wallis and Fortuna TV and radio stations (2019)