Wallis and Futuna

Code: WF | Region: Australia Oceania

Introduction

Background

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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.

Geography

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

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13 18 S, 176 12 W

Map references

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Oceania

Area

total

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142 sq km

land

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142 sq km

water

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0 sq km

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note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets

Area - comparative

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1.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries

total

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0 km

Coastline

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129 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea

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12 nm

exclusive economic zone

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200 nm

Climate

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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

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volcanic origin; low hills

Elevation

highest point

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Mont Singavi (on Futuna) 522 m

lowest point

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Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

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NEGL

Land use

agricultural land

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42.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

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arable land: 7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

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permanent crops: 35.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

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permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest

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74.9% (2023 est.)

other

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0% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

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0.6 sq km (2022)

Natural hazards

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cyclones; tsunamis

Geography - note

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

People and Society

Population

total

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15,998 (2025 est.)

male

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8,217

female

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7,781

Nationality

noun

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Wallisian(s), Futunan(s), or Wallis and Futuna Islanders

adjective

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Wallisian, Futunan, or Wallis and Futuna Islander

Ethnic groups

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Polynesian

Languages

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

Religions

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Roman Catholic 99%, other 1%

Age structure

0-14 years

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19.8% (male 1,643/female 1,511)

15-64 years

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67.5% (male 5,535/female 5,247)

65 years and over

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12.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,023/female 1,005)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio

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48.7 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

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29 (2025 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

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19.7 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

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5.1 (2025 est.)

Median age

total

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36.9 years (2025 est.)

male

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35.5 years

female

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37.3 years

Population growth rate

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0.19% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

Net migration rate

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

Urbanization

urban population

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0% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization

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0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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

Sex ratio

at birth

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1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years

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1.09 male(s)/female

15-64 years

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1.05 male(s)/female

65 years and over

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1.02 male(s)/female

total population

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1.06 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total

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3.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male

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3.8 deaths/1,000 live births

female

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3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population

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81.1 years (2024 est.)

male

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78.2 years

female

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84.2 years

Total fertility rate

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1.71 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

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0.84 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

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rural: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

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total: 99.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

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urban: NA

unimproved: rural

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rural: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

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total: 0.7% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

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rural: 94.2% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

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total: 94.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

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rural: 5.8% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

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total: 5.8% of population (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

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57.2% (2018 est.)

Literacy

total population

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99.8% (2023 est.)

male

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99.9% (2023 est.)

female

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100% (2023 est.)

Environment

Environmental issues

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deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) due to wood as the main fuel source; soil erosion; lack of natural freshwater resources; lack of soil fertility on the islands of Uvea and Futuna

Climate

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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

Land use

agricultural land

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42.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

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arable land: 7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

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permanent crops: 35.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

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permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest

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74.9% (2023 est.)

other

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0% (2023 est.)

Urbanization

urban population

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0% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization

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0% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Government

Country name

conventional long form

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Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands

conventional short form

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Wallis and Futuna

local long form

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Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna

local short form

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Wallis et Futuna

former

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Hoorn Islands is the former name of the Futuna Islands

etymology

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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

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parliamentary democracy (Territorial Assembly); overseas collectivity of France

Dependency status

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overseas collectivity of France

Capital

name

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Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)

geographic coordinates

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13 57 S, 171 56 W

time difference

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UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions

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

Legal system

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French civil law

Constitution

history

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4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

amendment process

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French constitution amendment procedures apply

Citizenship

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see France

Suffrage

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18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state

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President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by Administrator Superior Jean-François de MANHEULLE (since 17 November 2025)

head of government

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President of the Territorial Assembly Munipoese MULI'AKA'AKA (since 20 March 2022)

cabinet

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Council of the Territory appointed by the administrator superior on the advice of the Territorial Assembly

election/appointment process

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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

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note: there are 3 traditional kings with limited powers

Legislative branch

legislature name

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Territorial Assembly (Assemblée territoriale)

legislative structure

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unicameral

number of seats

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20 (directly elected)

electoral system

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proportional representation

scope of elections

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full renewal

term in office

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5 years

most recent election date

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3/20/2022

parties elected and seats per party

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

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note: 1 senator is indirectly elected to the French Senate by an electoral college for a 6-year term, and 1 deputy is directly elected to the French National Assembly for a 5-year term

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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Court of Assizes or Cour d'Assizes (consists of 1 judge; court hears primarily serious criminal cases)

judge selection and term of office

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subordinate courts

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courts of first instance; labor court

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note 1: appeals beyond the Court of Assizes are heard before the Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel (in Noumea, New Caledonia) note 2: justice is generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the 3 traditional kings administer customary law

Political parties

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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

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none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

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none (overseas collectivity of France)

International organization participation

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PIF (observer), SPC, UPU

Independence

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none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday

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Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)

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note: often incorrectly referred to as Bastille Day, the celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on 14 July 1789 and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy; other names for the holiday are la Fête nationale (National Holiday) and le Quatorze Juillet (14th of July)

Flag

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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

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note: the flag of France is used for official occasions

National symbol(s)

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

National color(s)

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red, white

National anthem(s)

title

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"La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)

lyrics/music

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Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle

history

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official anthem, as a French territory

Economy

Economic overview

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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

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

Industries

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copra, handicrafts, fishing, lumber

Budget

revenues

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$32.54 million (2015 est.)

expenditures

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$34.18 million (2015 est.)

Exports - partners

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

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note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports - commodities

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seats (2023)

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note: top export commodities based on value in dollars over $500,000

Imports - partners

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

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note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports - commodities

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

Exchange rates

Currency

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

Exchange rates 2024

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110.31 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

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110.347 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

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113.474 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

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100.88 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

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104.711 (2020 est.)

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions

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3,000 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

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26 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions

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12,200 (2023)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

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107 (2023)

Broadcast media

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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)

Internet country code

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.wf

Internet users

percent of population

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45.8% (2021 est.)

Transportation

Airports

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2 (2025)

Merchant marine

total

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1 (2023)

by type

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general cargo 1

Ports

total ports

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1 (2024)

large

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medium

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small

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very small

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ports with oil terminals

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key ports

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Mata-Utu

Military and Security

Military - note

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defense is the responsibility of France