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  New Caledonia  
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  Introduction
  Geography
  People
  Government
  Economy
  Communications
  Transportation
  Military
  Transnational Issues

In general, information available as of 1 January 2002
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2002.


This page was last updated on 19 March 2003


Map of New Caledonia

Legend: Definition Definition Field Listing Field Listing
   Introduction    New Caledonia
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
   Geography    New Caledonia
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
21 30 S, 165 30 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Oceania
Area:
Definition Field Listing
total: 19,060 sq km
water: 485 sq km
land: 18,575 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
0 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
2,254 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
coastal plains with interior mountains
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 0.38%
permanent crops: 0.33%
other: 99.29% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
160 sq km (1991)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
cyclones, most frequent from November to March
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
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    New Caledonia
Population:
Definition Field Listing
207,858 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 30% (male 31,862; female 30,577)
15-64 years: 64.1% (male 67,043; female 66,102)
65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,777; female 6,497) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
1.43% (2002 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing
19.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing
5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing
8.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing
total population: 73.27 years
female: 76.36 years (2002 est.)
male: 70.32 years
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.44 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91%
male: 92%
female: 90% (1976 est.)
   Government    New Caledonia
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
conventional short form: New Caledonia
local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
overseas territory of France since 1956
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Noumea
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
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:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3 July 2002)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-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; note - last election held 28 November 2002 when Pierre FROGIER was reelected
head of government: President of the Government Pierre FROGIER (since 5 April 2001)
cabinet: Consultative Committee
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
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 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Raphael MAPOU]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
the flag of France is used
   Economy    New Caledonia
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
New Caledonia has about 25% 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 small 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. Strikes in the building industry in 2001, which lasted four months, adversely affected many other sectors of the economy. French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are being transferred to local ownership.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing
purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.1% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing
purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 5%
industry: 30%
services: 65% (1997 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing
2.3% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing
79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing
19% (1996)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $861.3 million
expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
nickel mining and smelting
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.6% (1996)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing
1.565 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source:
Definition Field Listing
fossil fuel: 78%
hydro: 22%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing
1.455 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products
Exports:
Definition Field Listing
$400 million f.o.b. (2000)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Japan 25.8%, France 18.8%, Taiwan 12%, Australia 8.2%, US 3.0% (1999)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing
$1 billion f.o.b. (2000)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
France 50.2%, Australia 15.1%, Singapore 5.9%, New Zealand 5.2%, Japan 3.7% (1999)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing
$79 million (1998 est.)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
$880 million annual subsidy from France
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
XPF
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    New Caledonia
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing
47,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing
13,040 (1998)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios:
Definition Field Listing
107,000 (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions:
Definition Field Listing
52,000 (1997)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.nc
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Definition Field Listing
1 (2000)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing
24,000 (2001)
   Transportation    New Caledonia
Railways:
Definition Field Listing
0 km (2002)
Highways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 4,825 km
paved: 2,287 km
unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing
none
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Mueo, Noumea, Thio
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT
ships by type: cargo 1
note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Malaysia 1 (2002 est.)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
29 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
5 (2002)
   Military    New Caledonia
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
Definition Field Listing
$192.3 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing
5.3% (FY96)
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of France
   Transnational Issues    New Caledonia
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

This page was last updated on 19 March 2003


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