Statistical information New Caledonia 1999

New Caledonia in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E
Map reference:
OceaniaAreaTotal: 19,060 km²
Land: 18,575 km²
Water: 485 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 2,254 km
Maritime claimsExclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Land useArable land: 0%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 12%
Forests and woodland: 39%
Other: 49% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA km²
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazards: typhoons most frequent from November to March
Geographytop of pagePopulation: 197,361 (July 1999 est.)
Growth rate: 1.59% (1999 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%
NationalityNoun: 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%
Languages: French, 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years: 29% (male 29,610; female 28,485)
15-64 years: 65% (male 64,552; female 63,229)
65 years and over: 6% (male 5,443; female 6,042) (1999 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 1.59% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 20.68 births/1000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 4.82 deaths/1000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.08 migrant(s)/1000 population (1999 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: NA
International agreements party to: NA
International agreements signed but not ratified: NA
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt 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: 0.9 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 12.15 deaths/1000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 75.35 years
Male: 72.1 years
Female: 78.77 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.43 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 91%
Male: 92%
Female: 90% (1976 est.)
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional 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
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
Dependent areasIndependence: none (overseas territory of France; note_a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Dominque BUR (since NA August 1995)
Head of government: President of the Territorial Congress Simon LOUECKHOTE (since NA 1998)
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 Territorial Congress elected by the members of the 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 six-year terms)
Elections: last held 9 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 2001)
Election results: percent of vote by party_NA; seats by party_RPR 22, FLNKS 12, UNCT 9, UNI 5, DEPCA 2, FN 2, RCF 2, and other 2
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
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representationIn the us: none (overseas territory of France)
From the us: none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description
: three horizontal bands, blue (top), red, and green, with a yellow disk enclosing a black symbol centered to the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy 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 25% of imports. In addition to nickel, financial support from France and tourism are key to the health of the economy. Performance in 1998 was hampered by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower expected prices for nickel.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: NA%
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $11,400 (1996 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture: 3%
Industry: 25%
Services: 72% (1996)
Agriculture products: vegetables; beef, other livestock products
Industries: nickel mining and smelting
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Labor force: 70,044 (1988)
By occupation agriculture: 20%
By occupation industry: 16%
By occupation services: 60%
By occupation mining: 4% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1994)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty line: NA%
Gini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $755.6 million
Expenditures: $755.6 million, including capital expenditures of $N/A (1995 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $500 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Commodities: ferronickels, nickel ore
Partners: Japan 31%, France 29%, US 12%, Australia 7%, Taiwan 6% (1996 est.)
Imports: $845 million (c.i.f., 1996)
Commodities: foods, transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals
Partners: France 45%, Australia 18%, Singapore 7%, New Zealand 6%, Japan 4% (1996 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $NA
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1_102.72 (January 1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.93 (1994; note_linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
top of pageElectricityProduction: 1.145 billion kWh (1996)
Production by source fossil fuel: 69.87%
Production by source hydro: 30.13%
Production by source nuclear: 0%
Production by source other: 0% (1996)
Consumption: 1.145 billion kWh (1996)
Exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Imports: 0 kWh (1996)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephones: 38,748 (1993 est.)
Telephone systemDomestic: NA
International: satellite earth station_1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure: $NA
Percent of gdp: NA%
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 27 (1998 est.)
With paved runways total: 5
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 22
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 11
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 7 (1998 est.)
PipelinesRailways: 0 km
RoadwaysWaterwaysMerchant marine: none
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: Matthew and Hunter Islands claimed by France and Vanuatu
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs