Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands

Territoire des îles Wallis et Futuna
Telitolia o Uvea mo Futuna
Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands

Overseas collectivity of ‌France

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1961–2024

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Motto
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité

Anthem
La Marseillaise

Capital

Mata-Utu

Status

Overseas collectivity

President of France

- 2007-2024

Nicolas Sarkozy

Administrator Superior

- 2010-2024

Michel Jeanjean

Legislature

Territorial Assembly

History

- July 29, 1961

Overseas territory

- March 28, 2003

Overseas collectivity

- January 13, 2024

Independence

Area

264 km²

Population

- 2009

15,289

Density

57.9/km²

Currency

CFP franc

Colony of Wallis and Futuna Islands

Republic of Wallis and Futuna

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The Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands is an overseas collectivity of France, located in Polynesia.

Background

The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842, and took official control of them between 1886 and 1888. Notably, Wallis and Futuna was the only French colony to side with the Vichy regime during World War II, a phase that ended in May of 1942 with the arrival of 2,000 American troops. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory and officially assumed this status in July 1961.^[1]

Economy

The economy is limited to traditional subsistence agriculture, with about 80% of 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.^[2]