Historical Sketch

The islands of Futuna and Alofi were first sighted by the navigators Willem Schouten and Jacob LeMaire in 1616, who called them Hoorns Islands. In 1787, the British Samuel Wallis was the first European to visit the island of 'Uvea, which now carries his name. French missionaries on Futuna demanded the establishment of a protectorate in 1842, when France began its expansion in the Pacific. But only in 1887-1888, the local rulers on the three islands signed the corresponding treaties. In 1961, the protectorate status was terminated after a referendum two years before. Since then Wallis and Futuna is constituted as French overseas territory of its own, the local kingships have kept their traditional roles.

Monetary History Overview

France did not introduce a monetary order on the three islands that now constitute Wallis and Futuna. Since administration of the islands was done out of New Caledonia the currencies of this territory flew in. This remained so, when the French Pacific CFP Franc was created as a common currency for the Pacific territories. The New Caledonian paper money and coins were current on Wallis and Futuna. In December 1998, the French Overseas Currency Institute opened an office on Wallis ('Uvea) island.

Currency Units Timeline

Currency Institutes Timeline

Monetary History Sources