Wallis and Futuna : status report = Etat des recifs a Wallis et Futuna

Abstract

Wallis and Futuna Islands make up one of the three French overseas territories in the Pacific. They are located 2000 km north of New Caledonia and 3500 km northwest of Tahiti. The territory comprises two distinct archipelagoes situated 240 km apart: the Wallis Islands and the Horn Archipelago composed of Futuna and Alofi. The Wallis Islands are made up of the main island Uvea and 19 islets scattered throughout a lagoon which is 24 km long and 15 km wide. Futuna is high island without a lagoon and with a few areas of cliffs, surrounded by a fringing reef of varying width. Separated from Futuna by a channel of 1800 m width, Alofi is a high volcanic island surrounded by a variably developed fringing reef. The surface area of land is small (215 km2) and coral reefs occupy about 300 km2 ; immerged reefs are found to the north of Wallis Island. The Exclusive Economic Zone of the territory covers 300,000 km2.