Wallis and Futuna is a French overseas collectivity in Polynesia. Its administrative capital is Mata-Utu on Wallis, also called Uvea.
Oceania and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Mata-Utu; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapWallis and Futuna consists of separated island groups in the South Pacific. Wallis is relatively low and surrounded by a lagoon and barrier reef. Futuna and nearby Alofi are more mountainous and have a different coastal form.
Wallis includes volcanic crater lakes within its interior. Futuna’s steep slopes descend more directly toward the sea, with less extensive lagoon shelter. The distance between the groups means that their landscapes should be described separately.
The islands are warm and humid throughout the year. A hotter, wetter season alternates with a cooler, relatively drier period.
Tropical rainfall supports vegetation, but drainage differs with relief and geology. Reefs and lagoons are especially prominent around Wallis, while steep catchments characterize Futuna. Storm exposure and freshwater resources vary between the groups.
Unofficial local flag has a red field with four white isosceles triangles in the middle; the apexes of the triangles are oriented inward and at right angles to each other; a small flag of France, outlined in white on two sides, is in the upper-left corner
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · INSEE · 2023 Census
Reef islands and lagoon waters surround the main island.
Photo: Anna Vinet · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
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Shallow lagoon water and exposed coastal ground reveal the influence of tides.
Photo: Brigitte & Heinz · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
French is the official language, while Wallisian and Futunian are the principal Indigenous languages of everyday life.
Wallisian and Futunian are distinct Polynesian languages associated with different island communities. French is used in administration and schooling, and speakers may use it alongside their island language rather than instead of it.
The islands have longstanding Polynesian kingdoms. France established protectorates over Wallis in 1887 and Futuna in 1888. Following a referendum, the islands became a separate French overseas territory in 1961. They are now an overseas collectivity of France, where French institutions coexist with the customary kingdoms of Uvea, Alo and Sigave.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · INSEE · 2023 Census
Public employment and transfers from France are major economic supports. Subsistence agriculture, fishing, construction, retail and remittances also contribute. Limited export production, isolation and the small local market restrict private-sector growth. Many people with ties to the islands live in New Caledonia or elsewhere.
Public services, subsistence agriculture, fishing, construction and retail.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · INSEE · 2023 Census
11,151 · 2023 Census · INSEE–STSEE
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · INSEE · 2023 Census
An overseas collectivity of France. An elected Territorial Assembly handles local responsibilities and a senior Administrator represents the French state. The customary kingdoms of Uvea, Alo and Sigave retain recognized roles alongside French institutions.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · INSEE · 2023 Census
Three questions about Wallis and Futuna.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · INSEE · 2023 Census
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.
