The first Europeans to arrive on the island groups were 16th-century Spanish and Portuguese explorers. The British, notably Captain Cook and later Captain Bligh (of ‘HMS Bounty’ notoriety), and then the French, took control of the islands in the 18th century. Tahiti, the largest island in French Polynesia, was made a French protectorate in 1842 and a colony in 1880. The other islands were annexed by the turn of the century. This status quo remained until 1957, when Polynesia was made an Overseas Territory. A revised constitution, introduced in 1977, ceded greater autonomy. For the next
20 years, the islands’ politics were dominated by the French nuclear testing program.
By the time the program ended in 1996, 150 separate explosions had been detonated, mainly on the atoll of Mururoa. In general, the French government was able to rely on the firm backing of most of French public opinion and an often ambivalent attitude on the part of the inhabitants of French Polynesia, who were well aware of the considerable benefits of the test program to the otherwise threadbare local economy. The tests had begun in 1966, but it was not until the 1980s that opposition to them began to assume significant proportions, following the terrorist attack by French special forces on the Greenpeace vessel
Rainbow Warrior.
By the time of the final series of tests in 1995/6, Tahiti had become the focus of opposition from throughout the South Pacific, and several riots occurred. Although the protesters failed to stop the tests, their campaign had an important political effect by linking the anti-nuclear movement and the burgeoning pro-independence movement which had so far been largely unrepresented in any political forum, despite the support of a large proportion (possibly the majority) of the population. The politics of the territory had been dominated for the previous decade by the center-right
Tahoeraa Huiratira (TH) party, led by Gaston Flosse, allied to the
French Gaullist Rassemblement pour la République (RPR), which backed French rule and nuclear testing.
Pro-Independence leader Oscar Temaru was elected by the territory's assembly in March 2005. It was the third change in leadership n 12 months and followed months of wrangling between Mr Temaru and the Pro France rival, Gaston Flosse. Mr Flosse's Government lost a vote of confidence on February 2005, precipitation the poll in which Mr Temaru defeated the pro-France candidate, Gaston Tang Sang by 29 votes to 26.
Tahiti and her Islands gained
Overseas Country status in 2004.
GovernmentThe French government is represented by a High Commissioner who controls foreign affairs, defense and justice. In other spheres, the islands have enjoyed internal autonomy since July 1977, which is exercised by an elected government. This comprises a legislature, the 57-member Territorial Assembly which is directly elected for a five-year term, and an Executive President and Council of Ministers, all of whom are chosen from among the membership of the Assembly.
EconomyThe traditional Polynesian economy was agricultural, but that sector now accounts for less than 5% of total output and employment. Coconuts are the principal cash crop and vanilla, coffee and citrus fruit are also produced in quantity. There is a substantial fishing industry, based on tuna, most of the income of which is derived from licenses granted to foreign fleets. Manufacturing is mainly devoted to processing agricultural products and a small mining industry has evolved following the recent discovery of phosphate and cobalt deposits.
French Polynesia as a whole has suffered from a serious unemployment problem since the end of French nuclear testing in the mid 1990s; although much disliked by local governments and the majority of their peoples, the tests provided many construction and service jobs. As a result, Tahiti now depends heavily on remittances from migrant workers.
The government believes that tourism offers the best, and perhaps the only, prospect for a self-supporting economy. At present, French Polynesia as a whole receives around 230,000 visitors annually, and the industry is worth over US$400 million annually.
The territory suffers from a serious trade deficit (imports exceed exports by a factor of 10) so that considerable aid is needed from the French to balance the country’s finances.
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