Wallis and Futuna: Background & Geography

Introduction Wallis and Futuna
Background:
 Although discovered by the Dutch and the British in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.
Geography Wallis and Futuna
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: 274 sq km
note: includes Ile Uvea (Wallis Island), Ile Futuna (Futuna Island), Ile Alofi, and 20 islets
water: 0 sq km
land: 274 sq km
Area - comparative:
 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
 0 km
Coastline:
 129 km
Maritime claims - as described in UNCLOS 1982 (see Notes and Definitions):
 territorial sea: 12 NM
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate:
 tropical; hot, rainy season (November to April); cool, dry season (May to October); rains 2,500-3,000 mm per year (80% humidity); average temperature 26.6 degrees C
Terrain:
 volcanic origin; low hills
Elevation extremes:
 lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m
Natural resources:
 NEGL
Land use:
 arable land: 5%
permanent crops: 20%
other: 75% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
 NA sq km
Natural hazards:
 NA
Environment - current issues:
 deforestation (only small portions of the original forests remain) largely as a result of the continued use of wood as the main fuel source; as a consequence of cutting down the forests, the mountainous terrain of Futuna is particularly prone to erosion; there are no permanent settlements on Alofi because of the lack of natural fresh water resources
Geography - note:
 both island groups have fringing reefs

See Also: