Wallis and Futuna, a French overseas collectivity in the South Pacific, has experienced very slow population growth in recent decades. According to census data, the population peaked at around 15,000 in the early 2000s but has since declined, with estimates in 2023 placing it at approximately 11,500 people. This decrease is largely due to significant emigration, particularly of young people seeking education and employment opportunities in New Caledonia or metropolitan France, combined with a low birth rate and aging population. As a result, Wallis and Futuna faces demographic challenges, including a shrinking workforce and concerns about sustaining its traditional communities.
| Year | Population | Population Density Per Square KM |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6,962 | 49 |
| 1955 | 7,411 | 52.2 |
| 1960 | 7,889 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 8,300 | 58.5 |
| 1970 | 8,700 | 61.3 |
| 1975 | 8,800 | 62 |
| 1980 | 10,800 | 76.1 |
| 1985 | 13,001 | 91.6 |
| 1990 | 13,476 | 94.9 |
| 1995 | 14,017 | 98.7 |
| 2000 | 14,667 | 103.3 |
| 2005 | 15,097 | 106.3 |
| 2010 | 15,331 | 108 |
| 2015 | 15,576 | 109.7 |
| 2020 | 15,809 | 111.3 |
| 2022 | 15,891 | 111.9 |
| 2023 | 15,929 | 112.2 |
| 2024 | 15,964 | 112.4 |
| 2025 | 15,998 | 112.7 |
| 2030 | 16,104 | 113.4 |
| 2035 | 16,126 | 113.6 |
| 2040 | 16,090 | 113.3 |
| 2045 | 16,031 | 112.9 |
| 2050 | 15,971 | 112.5 |
| 2055 | 15,875 | 111.8 |
| 2060 | 15,699 | 110.6 |
| 2065 | 15,430 | 108.7 |
| 2070 | 15,075 | 106.2 |
| 2075 | 14,652 | 103.2 |
| 2080 | 14,196 | 100 |
| 2085 | 13,734 | 96.7 |
| 2090 | 13,291 | 93.6 |
| 2095 | 12,888 | 90.8 |
| 2100 | 12,530 | 88.2 |
Data from US Census International Database