Page 22 - French Polynesia

asic Economy. The economy is heavily transport is controlled by local businesses. New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Hawaii, and
Locally produced goods include vanilla California. A secondary trade market with
B dependent on French social programs
and military spending. The most important beans, coconut-oil based soaps and cos- the European Union is also important but

commodity is black pearls, and with the metics, fruit juice, milk and yogurt, cloth- involves luxury goods such as wine, cheese,

exception of flowers, agricultural exports ing, flowers, and handicrafts. automobiles, and clothing.

are insignificant. There is an active internal M ajor Industries. Within the urban D ivision of Labor. In general, Poly-
agricultural trade in which fruits, vegeta- core of Papeete, there are several nesian men dominate in skilled and
bles, meat, and fish are shipped to market

in the urban center from the other islands. industrial zones. The port area of Fare in- unskilled physical labor (agriculture, con-

Fishing provides some export income, but cludes a number of boat-building and ship- struction, fishing, transportation). The retail

large-scale commercial fishing is domi- repair businesses, as well as major con- and commercial sectors are controlled by

nated by foreign fleets. Tourism is relatively struction material suppliers. There are only Chinese and European-Polynesian families.

under-developed, but the jobs and income a few factories in French Polynesia: a beer The government sector is the largest source

from tourism are significant on islands that and soft drink bottling enterprise and a few of jobs, with higher-status jobs typically

have resorts. small textile printing studios in Papeete. held by European-Polynesian or Polynesian-

C Tommercial Activities. A very active im- rade. Imports of food and other con- Chinese residents with university degrees
port business is dominated by Chinese- sumer goods including automobiles, and lower-status jobs held by Polynesians
(clerical work by women, public works jobs

Tahitian and French-Tahitian family-owned appliances, and building materials are enor- by men). Political positions and appoint-

businesses. Multinational companies are mous by comparison to exports of locally ments go almost exclusively to Polynesian

involved in the airline, hotel, construction, produced commodities. Most trade occurs men.

and energy sectors, while the importation within the Pacific basin with major trading

of building materials, consumer goods, and partners in Taiwan and Hong Kong, Korea,