Wallis and Futuna History

History
Wallis and Futuna is made up of three main volcanic tropical islands along with a number of tiny islets, and is split into two island groups that lie about 160 miles apart, namely the Wallis Islands in the northeast, and the Hoorn Islands, also known as the Futuna Islands, in the southwest, including Futuna Island proper and the mostly uninhabited Alofi Island.

Since 2003, Wallis and Futuna has been a French overseas collectivity. Between 1961 and 2003, it had the status of a French overseas territory, though its official name did not change when the status changed. 

Timeline
1837 - The French were the first Europeans to settle in the territory with the arrival of French missionaries who converted the population to Roman Catholicism 1959 - The inhabitants of the islands voted to become a French overseas territory, effective in 1961, thus ending their subordination to New Caledonia