| New Caledonia (overseas territory of France) |
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

New Caledonia | Introduction | Top of Page

Background: | Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated.

New Caledonia | Geography | Top of Page

Location: | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates: | 21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references: | Oceania

Area: | total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km

Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: | 0 km

Coastline: | 2,254 km

Maritime claims: | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: | tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain: | coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources: | nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use: | arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 12% forests and woodland: 39% other: 49% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: | 160 sq km (1991)

Natural hazards: | cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues: | erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

New Caledonia | People | Top of Page

Population: | 204,863 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: | 0-14 years: 30.31% (male 31,674; female 30,416) 15-64 years: 63.95% (male 66,014; female 65,006) 65 years and over: 5.74% (male 5,548; female 6,205) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: | 1.48% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: | 20.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: | 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: | 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 73.02 years male: 70.08 years female: 76.11 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: | 2.48 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA

Nationality: | noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups: | Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions: | Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages: | French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92% female: 90% (1976 est.)

New Caledonia | Government | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

Dependency status: | overseas territory of France since 1956

Government type: | NA

Capital: | Noumea

Administrative divisions: | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud

Independence: | none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass

National holiday: | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: | the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: | chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Thierry LATASTE (since 19 July 1999) head of government: President of the Government Jean LEQUES (since 28 May 1999) cabinet: Consultative Committee elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress

Legislative branch: | unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1 note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2

Judicial branch: | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders: | Alliance pour la Caledonie [Didier LEROUX]; Developper Ensemble pour Construire l'Avenir or DEPCA [Robert FROUIN]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Leopald SOREDIE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Groupe de l'Alliance Multiraciale or GAM [Dany DALMAYRAE]; Independance et Progres [Alphonse PUJAPUJANE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); La Caledonie Autrement [Denis MILLIARD]; Loyalty Islands Development Front or FDIL [Cono HAMU]; National Front or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Charles WASHETINE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [leader NA]; Renouveau [Thierry VALET]; Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]; Union Caledonienne or UC [Bernard LEPEU]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Andre GOPEA]

Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA

International organization participation: | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description: | the flag of France is used

New Caledonia | Economy | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a negligible amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are being transferred to local ownership.

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $3 billion (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: | 3.5% (1998 est.)

GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $15,000 (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 4% industry: 30% services: 66% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: | NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 1.5% (1998 est.)

Labor force: | 79,395 (including 15, 018 unemployed, 1996)

Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: | 19% (1996)

Budget: | revenues: $861.3 million expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)

Industries: | nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate: | -0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production: | 1.52 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 78.95% hydro: 21.05% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: | 1.414 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: | vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

Exports: | $411 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities: | ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners: | Japan 27%, France 17%, Taiwan 12%, South Korea 9% (1999)

Imports: | $843 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities: | transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice

Imports - partners: | France 49%, Australia 14%, Singapore 6%, New Zealand 5%, US 5% (1999)

Debt - external: | $79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient: | $880 million annual subsidy from France

Currency: | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code: | XPF

Exchange rates: | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Fiscal year: | calendar year

New Caledonia | Communications | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 47,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: | 13,040 (1998)

Telephone system: | general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: | 107,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: | 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions: | 52,000 (1997)

Internet country code: | .nc

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 1 (2000)

Internet users: | 5,000 (2000)

New Caledonia | Transportation | Top of Page

Railways: | 0 km

Highways: | total: 4,825 km paved: 2,287 km unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)

Waterways: | none

Ports and harbors: | Mueo, Noumea, Thio

Merchant marine: | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: | 29 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: | total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 11 (2000 est.)

Heliports: | 6 (2000 est.)

New Caledonia | Military | Top of Page

Military branches: | French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $192.3 million (1996)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 5.3% (1996)

Military - note: | defense is the responsibility of France

New Caledonia | Transnational Issues | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu