Café Pacific: Nius Country Profiles: Tahiti

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Head of State: French President Jacques Chirac (represented by High Commissioner - currently Jean Aribaud since Nov 1997).
Head of Government: President Gaston Flosse.
Ruling party: Coalition led by Tahoera'a Huiraatira (People's Rally).
Capital: Papeete (on Tahiti).
Official language: French. Spoken : Tahitian, Marquesan (2 dialects)
Currency: CFP franc = 100 centimes.
Exchange rate: CFP Fr108 = US$ (Aug 1998).
Area: 3500 sq km (35 islands and 83 atolls).
Population: 232 000 (1998 gvt est.); 70 per cent Polynesian; others mainly European and Chinese.
Main cities/towns: Faaa (on Tahiti, population 28 000); Papeete, 23 000; Uturoa (Raiatea, 9400); Fare (Huahine, 5200).
Time: --1000 hours GMT.
Gross national product: US$3722 million (1996); per person US$17 000.
Foreign debt: US$600 million (1997)
Other facts: Black pearl exports in 1997: US$150 million. Tourism income in 1997: US$350 million (182 000 tourists). Total of all direct and indirect subsidies paid by France to French Polynesia in 1997: US$1.3 billion.

Map: Courtesy of Tahiti-Pacifique

Political system: French Polynesia is a French overseas territory whose high commissioner, appointed by the French Government, directs all French local state services, including defence, foreign affairs, immigration, civil law and justice.

A French law of September 1995 permitted the conduct of most local affairs (local budget, health services, primary education, secondary education, culture, social welfare, public works, international transport, regional foreign relations, agriculture and sports) by a council of 16 ministers whose president is elected by 41-member Territorial Assembly, itself elected by universal adult suffrage.

The territory is represented in the French Parliament by two deputies and in the Senate by a senator. The moves to a single common market in Europe in 1992 aroused fears of unrestricted access to the island by citizens and entrepreneurs of any European Community (now Union) member states. A "French Polynesian citizenship" is being prepared (mid 1998).

French nuclear testing at Moruroa and Fangataufa atolls, a controversial issue clouding France's relations with the South Pacific, started in July 1966 and ended in January 1996. All nuclear facilities on Moruroa and Fangataufa atolls have been dismantled in 1997 and 1998. These islands are still off limits and garded by a French Foreign Legion platoon (1998).

Political parties in Assembly of French Polynesia: Government: Tahoera'a Huiraatira (French RPR affiliated, 25 territorial deputies, president Gaston Flosse); Opposition: Tavini Huiraatira (pro-independence, 11 deputies, president Oscar Temaru), Aia Api (pro-autonomy, 3 deputies, president Emile Vernaudon), Fetia Api (pro-autonomy, 2 deputies, president Boris Leontieff) (mid-1998). President of Territorial Assembly : Justin Arapari (Tahoera'a Huiraatira).

Tahitian deputies in French Parliament : Michel Buillard (Tahoera'a Huiraatira); Emile Vernaudon (Ai'a Api).

Senator in French Senate: Until Nov. 98 : Daniel Millaud (since 1977). After Nov. 98 : Gaston Flosse.

News media:

Press:

La Depeche de Tahiti: National and international news and current affairs. Daily; 17 000; French-language; French-owned, Groupe Pacifique Presse Communication/Societé Oceanienne de Communication (part of France-Antilles, Hersant, group). Editor-in-chief: Daniel Pardon. Ave Georges Clemenceau, BP 50, Papeete. Tel: (689) 464368; Fax: (689) 464350.
Email: la-depeche@mail.pf
Les Nouvelles de Tahiti: National and international news and current affairs. Daily; 5000, French-language; French-owned, Groupe Pacifique Presse Communication/Pacific-News (part of France-Antilles, Hersant, group). Editor : Muriel Pontarollo. BP 629, Papeete. Tel: (689) 508100; Fax: (689) 508109.
Tahiti Beach-Press: Aimed at tourists but carrying some cute news. Weekly; 2500, English-language; Tahitian-owned, Tahiti Publications Touristiques. Editor: Gerard Warti. Patutoa; BP 887, Papeete 98 713. Tel: (689) 426850; Fax: (689) 423356.
Tahiti-Pacifique: Local news, economics, in-depth reporting, culture, the arts and social news. Monthly; 3500; Tahitian-owned; French language. Editor: Alex W. du Prel. BP 368, Moorea. Tel: (689) 562894; Fax: (689) 563007.
Email: tahitipm@mail.pf
Vea Porotetani: Local news, economics, in-depth reporting, culture, the arts and social news. Monthly; Evangelical Church; French language 60%, Tahitian 40%. Editor: Gilles Marsauche. Tel: (689) 460623; Fax: (689) 419357.

Radio:

NRJ Radio: Local and French news in French. Hersant group. BP 50, Papeete. Tel: (689) 464346; Fax: (689) 464346.
Radio Bleue-FM: Local news in French and Tahitian language, political radio (Aia Api-Emile Vernaudon). Mahina. Tel: (689) 483436; Fax: (689) 480825.
Radio Maohi: Local news in Tahitian and French; French rews with RTL; majority (Tahoera'a Huiraatira-Gaston Flosse) political radio. Maison des Jeunes de Pirae. Tel: (689) 439595; Fax: (689) 433101.
Radio 1: Commercial in French and Radio Tiare in Tahitian; local and French news with Europe 1. Private and independent. Tahitian-owned. BP 3601, Fare Ute. Tel: (689) 434100; Fax: (689) 423406.
Radio RFO: State-run. (Radio France Outremer-RFO - French government); local and French news in French and Tahitian. BP 125, Papeete. Tel: (689) 861640; Fax: (689) 861641.
Radio Tahiti Api: French language, political (Tahoeraa). Pirae. Tel: (689) 439595; Fax: (689) 434913.
Radio Te Reo O Tefana: Local and South Pacific news; Tahitian and French language, political radio for the pro-independence and anti-nuclear municipality of Fa'aa, largest town in Tahiti (Independantist party - Tavini Huiraatira). News editor: Claude Marere. BP 13069, Punaauia, Tahiti. Tel: (689) 819797; Fax: (689) 825493.

Television:

Cala + Polynesie: Pay TV, one channel on Society Islands; only transmission of French Canal Plus; no local news. Tel: (689) 542954; Fax: (689) 421576.
RFO TV - Tahiti: The state-run overseas network operates two channels. The second channel is only broadcast in Tahiti and the Leeward islands. Local and French news in French and Tahitian. Radio-Telediffusion France d'Outre Mer - Radio France Outremer (RFO). BP 80125. Tel: (689) 861640; Fax: (689) 861641.
Telefenua: Pay TV, 12 channels on Tahiti and Moorea; three are in English - CNN, ESPN, CMC. Tel: (689) 461125; Fax: (689) 431243.

28 August 1999 with assistance from Alex duPrel

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