Map of New Caledonia | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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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.


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

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S 165 30 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,254 km

Maritime claims

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

Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation

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

Land use

Irrigated land: 160 km² (1991)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: cyclones most frequent from November to March

Geography


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Population: 201,816 (July 2000 est.)
Growth rate: 1.52% (2000 est.)
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality

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

Languages: French (official) 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

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

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.52% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 20.84 births/1000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 5.62 deaths/1000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2000 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 8.57 deaths/1000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

Total fertility rate: 2.52 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

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 areas

Independence: 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 participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

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)

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 [Raphael MAPOU]; 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 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]; 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]

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of France)
From the us: none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description: the flag of France is used

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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 and large additions were made to capacity.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3.5% (1998 est.)

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

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: vegetables; beef deer other livestock products

Industries: nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 79,395 (including 15 018 unemployed 1996)
By occupation agriculture: 7%
By occupation industry: 23%
By occupation services: 70% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 15% (1994)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

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

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $381 million (f.o.b. 1998)
Commodities: ferronickels nickel ore fish
Partners: Japan 36% France 30% US 14% Taiwan 9% Australia 7% (1997)

Imports: $922 million (c.i.f. 1998)
Commodities: foods machinery and equipment fuels minerals
Partners: France 41% Australia 13% New Zealand 7% Japan 5% (1998)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $79 million (1998 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 117.67 (January 2000) 111.93 (1999) 107.25 (1998) 106.11 (1997) 93.00 (1996) 90.75 (1995); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc


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Electricity
Production: 1.52 billion kWh (1998)
Consumption: 1.414 billion kWh (1998)
Exports: 0 kWh (1998)
Imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 44,000 (1995)
Mobile cellular: 825 (1995)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Service providers isps: 1 (1999)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $192.3 million (1996)
Percent of gdp: 5.3% (1996)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 28 (1999 est.)

Heliports: 6 (1999 est.)

Pipelines

Railways: 0 km

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Matthew and Hunter Islands claimed by France and Vanuatu

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs