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GovernmentCountry name
Conventional long form
Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands Conventional short form Wallis and FutunaLocal long form Territoire des Iles Wallis et Futuna Local short form Wallis et FutunaDependency status
Overseas territory of France
Government type
Parliamentary representive democratic French overseas collectivity Capital
Name Mata-Utu (on Ile Uvea)
Geographic coordinates 13 57 S, 171 56 W Time difference UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) Administrative divisions
None (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three kingdoms at the second order named Alo, Sigave, Wallis Independence
None (overseas territory of France) National holiday
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution
4 October 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system
French civil law
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
Chief of state
President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012); represented by High Administrator Michel JEANJEAN (since 10 June 2010) Head of government President of the Territorial Assembly Siliako LAUHEA (since 7 December 2010) Cabinet Council of the Territory consists of 3 kings and 3 members appointed by the high administrator on the advice of the Territorial Assembly Note There are 3 traditional kings with limited powers Elections French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high administrator appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the Territorial Government and the Territorial Assembly elected by the members of the assembly Legislative branch
Unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (20 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) Elections Last held on 1 April 2007 (next to be held in April 2012) Election results Percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13, other 7 Note Wallis and Futuna elects one senator to the French Senate and one deputy to the French National Assembly; French Senate - elections last held on 21 September 2008 (next to be held by September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - UMP 1; French National Assembly - elections last held on 17 June 2007 (next to be held by 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats - PS 1 Judicial branch
Justice generally administered under French law by the high administrator, but the three traditional kings administer customary law and there is a magistrate in Mata-Utu; a court of appeal is located in Noumea, New Caledonia Political parties and leaders
Lua Kae Tahi (Giscardians); Mouvement des Radicaux de Gauche or MRG; Rally for the Republic or RPR (UMP); Socialist Party or PS; Taumu'a Lelei; Union Populaire Locale or UPL; Union Pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
International organization participation
PIF (observer), SPC, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the us
None (overseas territory of France) Diplomatic representation from the us
None (overseas territory of France) Flag description
Unofficial, local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle, representing the three native kings of the islands and the French administrator; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; the flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper hoist quadrant Note The design is derived from an original red banner with a white cross pattee that was introduced in the 19th century by French missionaries; the flag of France used for official occasions National symbol(s)
Red saltire (Saint Andrew's Cross) on a white square on a red field National anthem
Note
As a territory of France, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)
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Wallis And Futuna [ France ] (Overseas Territory):
 
GPS points from Wallis And Futuna [ France ] (Overseas Territory)
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The Futuna island group was discovered by the Dutch in 1616 and Wallis by the British in 1767, but it was the French who declared a protectorate over the islands in 1842, and took official control of them between 1886 and 1888. Notably, Wallis and Futuna was the only French colony to side with the Vichy regime during World War II, a phase that ended in May of 1942 with the arrival of 2,000 American troops. In 1959, the inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory and officially assumed this status in July 1961.