Page 16 - French Polynesia

n the 1880s, France claimed the Tuamotu announced that it would accede to the Compre- High Commissioner of the Republic in French
hensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, and no longer Polynesia. French Polynesia also sends three
IArchipelago, which formerly belonged to the deputies to the French National Assembly and
Pōmare Dynasty, without formally annexing it. test nuclear weapons. French Polynesians vote in the French presiden-
tial elections.
Having declared a protectorate over Tahuata in Politics of French Polynesia takes place in a
1842, the French regarded the entire Marquesas framework of a parliamentary representa- The islands of French Polynesia are mainly
Islands as French. In 1885, France appointed a mountainous and generally of volcanic ori-
gin. Tahiti was formed from the volcanoes Oro-
governor and established a general council, thus tive democratic French overseas collectivity, hena (2,237m.) and Tetufera (1,799m.). However,
the Tuamotu and Gambier islands consist of
giving it the proper administration for a colony. whereby the President of French Polynesia is coral atolls. The high islands of the Society and
Austral groups, which have volcanic peaks, are
In 1946, Polynesians were granted French the head of government, and of a multi-party heavily eroded and frequently marked by deep
citizenship and the islands’ status was changed system. Executive power is exercised by the valleys. These are forested with areas of dry
government. Legislative power is vested in both grassland. In contrast, coconut and pandanus
trees abound on the flat atolls, and also on the
to an overseas territory; the islands’ name was the government and the Assembly of French coastal plains of the high islands. The Society
group is divided into two parts. The Windward
changed in 1957 to Polynésie Française (French Polynesia (the territorial assembly). Despite a lo- Islands, which consist of four high islands: Tahiti,
actually formed out of two islands called Tahiti
Polynesia). In 1962, France’s early nuclear testing cal assembly and government, French Polynesia Nui and Tahiti Iti, Moorea and Tetiaora; and the
Leeward Islands, situated 200 km. from Tahiti,
ground of Algeria became independent and is not in a free association with France, like the which include Huahine, Bora Bora, Raiatea,
Taha’a and Maupiti.
the Moruroa atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago Cook Islands with New Zealand. As a French

was selected as the new testing site; tests were overseas collectivity, the local government has

conducted underground after 1974. In 1977, no competence in justice, education, security

French Polynesia was granted partial internal and defense. Services in these areas are directly

autonomy; in 1984, the autonomy was ex- provided and administered by the Government

tended. French Polynesia became a full overseas of France, including the Gendarmerie (which

collectivity of France in 2003. In September also polices rural and border areas in European

1995, France stirred up widespread protests by France), and French military forces. The collectiv-

resuming nuclear testing at Fangataufa atoll ity government retains control over health, town

after a three-year moratorium. The last test was planning, and the environment. The highest

on 27 January 1996. On 29 January 1996, France representative of the State in the territory is the