Australia-Oceania :: NEW CALEDONIA

- ## Introduction :: NEW CALEDONIA

- Background:
  Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island became 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 ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct a referendum between 2014 and 2018 to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.

- ## Geography :: NEW CALEDONIA

- Location:
  Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
  Geographic coordinates:
  21 30 S, 165 30 E
  Map references:
  Oceania
  Area:
  total: 18,575 sq km
  land: 18,275 sq km
  water: 300 sq km
  country comparison to the world: 156
  Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than New Jersey
  Land boundaries:
  0 km
  Coastline:
  2,254 km
  Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive economic zone: 200 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:
  agricultural land: 10.4%
  arable land 0.4%; permanent crops 0.2%; permanent pasture 9.8%
  forest: 45.9%
  other: 43.7% (2011 est.)
  Irrigated land:
  100 sq km (2003)
  Natural hazards:
  cyclones, most frequent from November to March
  volcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active
  Environment - current issues:
  erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
  Geography - note:
  consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

- ## People and Society :: NEW CALEDONIA

- Nationality:
  noun: New Caledonian(s)
  adjective: New Caledonian
  Ethnic groups:
  Kanak 40.3%, European 29.2%, Wallisian, Futunian 8.7%, Tahitian 2%, Indonesian 1.6%, Vietnamese 1%, Ni-Vanuatu 0.9%, other 16.2% (2009 est.)
  Languages:
  French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
  Religions:
  Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
  Population:
  271,615 (July 2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 183
  Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.19% (male 32,178/female 30,804)
  15-24 years: 16.89% (male 23,435/female 22,448)
  25-54 years: 42.99% (male 58,769/female 57,994)
  55-64 years: 8.21% (male 10,874/female 11,417)
  65 years and over: 8.72% (male 10,558/female 13,138) (2015 est.)
  Dependency ratios:
  total dependency ratio: 47.9%
  youth dependency ratio: 32.9%
  elderly dependency ratio: 15%
  potential support ratio: 6.6% (2015 est.)
  Median age:
  total: 31.1 years
  male: 30.4 years
  female: 31.7 years (2014 est.)
  Population growth rate:
  1.38% (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 85
  Birth rate:
  15.33 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 128
  Death rate:
  5.52 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 176
  Net migration rate:
  4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population
  note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 31
  Urbanization:
  urban population: 70.2% of total population (2015)
  rate of urbanization: 2.17% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
  Major urban areas - population:
  NOUMEA (capital) 181,000 (2014)
  Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
  55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
  total population: 1 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
  Infant mortality rate:
  total: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 177
  Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 77.5 years
  male: 73.49 years
  female: 81.71 years (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 69
  Total fertility rate:
  1.97 children born/woman (2015 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 127
  Drinking water source:
  improved:
  urban: 98.5% of population
  rural: 98.5% of population
  total: 98.5% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 1.5% of population
  rural: 1.5% of population
  total: 1.5% of population (2015 est.)
  Sanitation facility access:
  improved:
  urban: 100% of population
  rural: 100% of population
  total: 100% of population
  unimproved:
  urban: 0% of population
  rural: 0% of population
  total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
  HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA
  HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA
  Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.9%
  male: 97.3%
  female: 96.5% (2015 est.)

- ## Government :: NEW CALEDONIA

- 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:
  territorial collectivity (or a sui generis collectivity) of France since 1998
  Government type:
  parliamentary representative democracy
  Capital:
  name: Noumea
  geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E
  time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
  Administrative divisions:
  3 provinces; Province Iles (Islands Province), Province Nord (North Province), and Province Sud (South Province)
  Independence:
  none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but was rejected; a new referendum must be held before 2019
  National holiday:
  Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1789); note - the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853)
  Constitution:
  4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998) (2013)
  Legal system:
  civil law system based on French law; the 1988 Matignon Accords (signed in the Matignon Hotel) set up a 10-year period of development during which the Kanak community received substantial autonomy but agreed not to raise the independence issue
  Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
  Executive branch:
  chief of state: President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012); represented by High Commissioner Jean-Jacques BROT (since 2 February 2013)
  head of government: President of the Government Philippe GERMAINE (since 1 April 2015); Vice President Jean-Louis D'ANGLEBERME (since 1 April 2015)
  cabinet: Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress
  elections/appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of New Caledonia elected by Territorial Congress for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 10 June 2011 (next to be held in June 2016)
  election results: Philippe GERMAINE (Caledonia Together) elected president by Territorial Congress; vote NA
  Legislative branch:
  unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du Territoire (54 seats; members indirectly selected proportionally by the partisan makeup of the 3 Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales; members of the 3 Provincial Assemblies directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
  note: the Customary Senate is the assembly of the various traditional councils of the Kanaks, the indigenous population, which rules on laws affecting the indigenous population; New Caledonia holds two seats in the French Senate; elections last held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held not later than September 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held on 17 June 2012 (next to be held by June 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2
  elections: last held on 11 May 2014 (next to be held on May 2019)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - L'Avenir Ensemble 13, UMP 7, FLINKS 9, Union for Caledonia in France 6, Build Our Rainbow Nation 6, National Union for Independence 6, other 7
  Judicial branch:
  highest resident court(s): Court of Appeal in Noumea or Cour d'Appel; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; number of judges NA); Administrative Court; number of judges NA);
  judge selection and term of office: NA
  subordinate courts: Courts of First Instance include: civil, juvenile, commercial, labor, police, criminal, Assizes, and also a pre-trial investigation chamber; Joint Commerce Tribunal; administrative courts
  Political parties and leaders:
  Build Our Rainbow Nation
  Caledonia Together [Philippe GOMES]
  Caledonian Union or UC [Daniel GOA]
  Front National or FN [Marine LE PEN]
  Future Together (l'Avenir Ensemble) [Harold MARTIN]
  Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM)
  Labor Party (Labor Party) [Louis Kotra UREGEI]
  National Union for Independence (Union Nationale pour l'Independance) or UNI
  Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]
  Progressive Melanesian Union (Union Progressiste Mellanesienne) or UPM
  Socialist Group [Jean Pierre BEL]
  Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]
  The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]
  The Rally or UMP [Pierre FROGIER]
  Union for Caledonia in France
  Union of Pro-Independence Co-operation Committees [Francois BURCK]
  Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA
  International organization participation:
  ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WMO
  Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)
  Diplomatic representation from the US:
  none (overseas territory of France)
  Flag description:
  New Caledonia has two official flags; alongside the flag of France, the Kanak (indigenous Melanesian) flag has equal status; the latter consists of three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a large yellow disk - diameter two-thirds the height of the flag - shifted slightly to the hoist side is edged in black and displays a black fleche faitiere symbol, a native rooftop adornment
  National symbol(s):
  fleche faitiere (native rooftop adornment), kagu bird; national colors: blue, red, green, yellow, black
  National anthem:
  name: "Soyons unis, devenons freres" (Let Us Be United, Let Us Become Brothers)
  lyrics/music: Chorale Melodia (a local choir)
  note: adopted 2008; contains a mixture of lyrics in both French and Nengone (an indigenous language); as a self-governing territory of France, in addition to the local anthem, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)

- ## Economy :: NEW CALEDONIA

- Economy - overview:
  New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel reserves. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy; during 2009-10, France sent more development assistance to New Caledonia than to any of its other overseas territories. In October 2014, French Prime Minster Manuel VALLS confirmed financial support to New Caledonia totaling $500 million for the period 2016-20. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry — including two major new plants, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years. In 2015 New Caledonia is likely to help fill China’s shortfall in nickel supplies left by an Indonesian ban on nickel ore exports. The new government, which inherited a $112 million deficit in 2013, is expected to focus on bringing the territory’s budget back into balance.
  GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $11.1 billion (2014 est.)
  $10.8 billion (2013 est.)
  $10.57 billion (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 156
  GDP (official exchange rate):
  $11.1 billion (2014 est.)
  GDP - real growth rate:
  2.8% (2014 est.)
  2.2% (2013)
  2.9% (2012)
  country comparison to the world: 120
  GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $38,800 (2012 est.)
  $36,500 (2010 est.)
  $27,300 (2005)
  country comparison to the world: 40
  GDP - composition, by end use:
  household consumption: 55.4%
  government consumption: 22.7%
  investment in fixed capital: 38.7%
  investment in inventories: 0%
  exports of goods and services: 12.5%
  imports of goods and services: -29.4%
  (2014 est.)
  GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
  agriculture: 1.4%
  industry: 26.8%
  services: 71.8% (2014 est.)
  Agriculture - products:
  vegetables; beef, venison, other livestock products; fish
  Industries:
  nickel mining and smelting
  Industrial production growth rate:
  6% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 41
  Labor force:
  106,400 (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 183
  Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture: 2.7%
  industry: 22.4%
  services: 74.9% (2010)
  Unemployment rate:
  17.1% (2004)
  country comparison to the world: 155
  Population below poverty line:
  NA%
  Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%
  Budget:
  revenues: $996 million
  expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)
  Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
  NA% of GDP
  Fiscal year:
  calendar year
  Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.4% (2014 est.)
  1.3% (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 41
  Market value of publicly traded shares:
  $NA
  Exports:
  $1.43 billion (2014 est.)
  $1.284 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 156
  Exports - commodities:
  ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
  Exports - partners:
  France 18.4%, Japan 15.7%, Republic of Korea 12.1% (2014 est.)
  Imports:
  $3.04 billion (2014 est.)
  $3.348 billion (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 147
  Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
  Imports - partners:
  France 22.2%, Singapore 18.6%, Australia 10.9% (2014 est.)
  Debt - external:
  $112 million (31 December 2013 est.)
  $79 million (31 December 1998 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 191
  Exchange rates:
  Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -
  89.85 (2013 est.)
  90.56 (2012 est.)
  85.74 (2011 est.)
  90.01 (2010 est.)

- ## Energy :: NEW CALEDONIA

- Electricity - production:
  2.43 billion kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 134
  Electricity - consumption:
  2.26 billion kWh (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 140
  Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 175
  Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 178
  Electricity - installed generating capacity:
  499,000 kW (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 141
  Electricity - from fossil fuels:
  76.8% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 97
  Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
  0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 148
  Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
  15.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 100
  Electricity - from other renewable sources:
  7.6% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 43
  Crude oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 203
  Crude oil - exports:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 160
  Crude oil - imports:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 101
  Crude oil - proved reserves:
  0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 170
  Refined petroleum products - production:
  0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 178
  Refined petroleum products - consumption:
  15,150 bbl/day (2013 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 143
  Refined petroleum products - exports:
  117 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 118
  Refined petroleum products - imports:
  14,670 bbl/day (2010 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 121
  Natural gas - production:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 171
  Natural gas - consumption:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 176
  Natural gas - exports:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 150
  Natural gas - imports:
  0 cu m (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 104
  Natural gas - proved reserves:
  0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 174
  Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
  3.071 million Mt (2012 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 140

- ## Communications :: NEW CALEDONIA

- Telephones - fixed lines:
  total subscriptions: 88,500
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 146
  Telephones - mobile cellular:
  total: 243,100
  subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 91 (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 179
  Telephone system:
  general assessment: a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, increased network capacity and improved high-speed connectivity and access to international networks
  domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons
  international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2010)
  Broadcast media:
  the publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts over the RFO Nouvelle Caledonie TV and radio stations; a small number of privately owned radio stations also broadcast (2008)
  Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
  Television broadcast stations:
  6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)
  Internet country code:
  .nc
  Internet users:
  total: 169,100
  percent of population: 63.1% (2014 est.)
  country comparison to the world: 159

- ## Transportation :: NEW CALEDONIA

- Airports:
  25 (2013)
  country comparison to the world: 128
  Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 12
  over 3,047 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 10
  under 914 m: 1 (2013)
  Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 13
  914 to 1,523 m: 5
  under 914 m:
  8 (2013)
  Heliports:
  8 (2013)
  Roadways:
  total: 5,622 km (2006)
  country comparison to the world: 152
  Merchant marine:
  registered in other countries: 3 (France 3) (2010)
  country comparison to the world: 137
  Ports and terminals:
  major seaport(s): Noumea

- ## Military :: NEW CALEDONIA

- Military branches:
  no regular military forces; French military, police, and gendarmerie (2012)
  Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 68,219 (2010 est.)
  Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 56,233
  females age 16-49: 55,983 (2010 est.)
  Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
  male: 2,272
  female: 2,167 (2010 est.)
  Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of France

- ## Transnational Issues :: NEW CALEDONIA

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