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

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Background:


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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
Total: 18,575 km²
Land: 18,275 km²
Water: 300 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries
Total: 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
Highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 10.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 0.4% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 0.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 9.8% (2018 est.)
Forest: 45.9% (2018 est.)
Other: 43.7% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: cyclones, most frequent from November to March

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


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Population
Distribution: most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea: 293,608 (July 2021 est.)
Growth rate: 1.22% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: 17% (2008)

Nationality
Noun: New Caledonian(s)
Adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups: Kanak 39.1%, European 27.1%, Wallisian, Futunian 8.2%, Tahitian 2.1%, Indonesian 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1%, Vietnamese 0.9%, other 17.7%, unspecified 2.5% (2014 est.)

Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Major language samples:

Religions: Christian 85.2%, Muslim 2.8%, other 1.6%, unaffiliated 10.4% (2020 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 21.74% (male 32,227/female 30,819)
15-24 years: 15.63% (male 23,164/female 22,163)
25-54 years: 43.73% (male 63,968/female 62,856)
55-64 years: 9.06% (male 12,700/female 13,568)
65 years and over: 9.84% (male 12,552/female 15,992) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 46.6
Youth dependency ratio: 32.4
Elderly dependency ratio: 14.2
Potential support ratio: 7 (2020 est.)

Median age
Total: 32.9 years
Male: 32.1 years
Female: 33.7 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.22% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 14.28 births/1000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate: 5.84 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.71 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)
Note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia

Population distribution: most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea

Urbanization
Urban population: 71.9% of total population (2021)
Rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 198,000 NOUMEA (capital) (2018)

Environment
Current issues: preservation of coral reefs; prevention of invasive species; limiting erosion caused by nickel mining and forest fires

Air pollutants
Carbon dioxide emissions: 5.33 megatons (2016 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.08 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 6.07 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 4.05 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.59 years
Male: 74.66 years
Female: 82.71 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved: total: 100% of population
Unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Current health expenditure: NA

Physicians density: 2.22 physicians/1000 population (2009)

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Improved: total: 100% of population
Unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high (2020)
Food or water borne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vector borne diseases: malaria

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.9%
Male: 97.3%
Female: 96.5% (2015)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 38.4%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 37.1%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 40% (2014 est.)


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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
Etymology: British explorer Captain James COOK discovered and named New Caledonia in 1774; he used the appellation because the northeast of the island reminded him of Scotland (Caledonia is the Latin designation for Scotland)

Government type: parliamentary democracy (Territorial Congress); an overseas collectivity of France

Capital
Name: Noumea
Geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E
Time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: established in 1854 as Port-de-France, the settlement was renamed Noumea in 1866, in order to avoid any confusion with Fort-de-France in Martinique; the New Caledonian language of Ndrumbea (also spelled Ndumbea, Dubea, and Drubea) spoken in the area gave its name to the capital city, Noumea, as well as to the neighboring town (suburb) of Dumbea

Administrative divisions: 3 provinces; Province Iles (Islands Province), Province Nord (North Province), and Province Sud (South Province)

Dependent areas

Independence: none (overseas collectivity of France); note - in three independence referenda, on 4 November 2018, 4 October 2020, and 12 December 2021, the majority voted to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo; an 18-month transition period is now in place (ending 30 June 2023), during which a referendum on the new status of New Caledonia within France will take place

National holiday: Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853)

Constitution
History: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in the Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998)
Amendments: French constitution amendment procedures apply

Legal system: civil law system based on French civil law

International law organization participation

Citizenship: see France

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by High Commissioner Laurent PREVOST (since 5 August 2019)
Head of government: President of the Government Thierry SANTA (since 9 July 2019); Temporary Vice President Gilbert TUIENON (since 9 July 2019); note - Temporary Vice President Gilbert TUIENON was elected so that the new government could take over; Philippe GERMAIN' s government remained caretaker government until the new government was settled
Cabinet: Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress
Elections and 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 13 June 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
Election results: Thierry SANTA elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 votes out of 11

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congrès du Territoire (54 seats; members indirectly selected proportionally by the partisan makeup of the 3 Provincial Assemblies or Assemblés 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 indirectly elects 2 members to the French Senate by an electoral colleges for a 6-year term with one seat renewed every 3 years and directly elects 2 members to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term
Elections: Territorial Congress - last held on 12 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024)
French Senate - election last held in September 2019 (next to be held not later than 2021)
French National Assembly - election last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022)
Election results: Territorial Congress - percent of vote by party - N/A; seats by party -Future With Confidence 18, UNI 9, UC 9, CE 7, FLNKS 6, Oceanic Awakening 3, PT 1, LKS 1 (Anti-Independence 28, Pro-Independence 26); composition - NA
representation in French Senate - NA
representation in French National Assembly - NA

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Appeal in Noumea or Cour d'Appel; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; court bench normally includes the court president and 2 counselors); Administrative Court (number of judges NA); note - final appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (in Paris); final appeals beyond the Administrative Court are referred to the Administrative Court of Appeal (in Paris)
Judge selection and term of office: judge appointment and tenure based on France's judicial system
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 or CE [Philippe GERMAIN]
Caledonian Union or UC [Daniel GOA]
Future Together (l'Avenir Ensemble) [Harold MARTIN]
Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (alliance includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM) [Victor TUTUGORO]
Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PT [Louis Kotra UREGEI]
National Union for Independence (Union Nationale pour l'Independance) or UNI
Party of Kanak Liberation (Parti de Liberation Kanak) or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]
Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]
The Republicans (formerly The Rally or UMP) [interim leader Thierry SANTA]
Union for Caledonia in France

International organization participation: ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (overseas territory of France)
From the us embassy: 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 symbols: fleche faitiere (native rooftop adornment), kagu bird; national colors: gray, red

National anthem
Name: 'Soyons unis, devenons freres' (Let Us Be United, Let Us Become Brothers)
Lyrics and 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)

National heritage


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $11.11 billion (2017 est.)
Note: data are in 2015 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 2% (2017 est.)

1.1% (2016 est.)

3.2% (2015 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $31,100 (2015 est.)

$32,100 (2014 est.)

$29,800 (2012 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 64.3% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 24% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 38.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 18.7% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -45.5% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.4% (2017 est.)
Industry: 26.4% (2017 est.)
Services: 72.1% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: coconuts, vegetables, maize, fruit, beef, pork, potatoes, bananas, eggs, yams

Industries: nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 119,500 (2016 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 2.7%
By occupation industry: 22.4%
By occupation services: 74.9% (2010)

Unemployment rate: 14.7% (2014)

14% (2009)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 38.4%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 37.1%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 40% (2014 est.)

Population below poverty line: 17% (2008)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA
Highest 10: NA

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $1.995 billion (2015 est.)
Expenditures: $1.993 billion (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit: $0% (of GDP) (2015 est.)

Taxes and other revenues: 20.4% (of GDP) (2015 est.)

Public debt: 6.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

6.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.4% (2017 est.)

0.6% (2016 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: -$1.469 billion (2014 est.)

-$1.861 billion (2013 est.)

Exports: $2.207 billion (2014 est.)
Partners: China 59%, South Korea 14%, Japan 11% (2019)
Commodities: iron alloys, nickel, cobalt, carbonates, essential oils (2019)

Imports: $2.715 billion (2015 est.)

$4.4 billion (2014 est.)
Partners: France 43%, Australia 12%, Singapore 12%, China 6% (2019)
Commodities: refined petroleum, aircraft, coal, cars, packaged medicines (2019)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $112 million (31 December 2013 est.)

$79 million (31 December 1998 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2020)
Production: 2.945 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption: 2.739 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 996,200 kW (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 87% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources: 6% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products consumption: 20,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports: 19,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 77,719 (2018)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 28.67 (2018 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 260,277 (2018)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 96.02 (2019 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media: the publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts over the RFO Nouvelle-Calédonie TV and radio stations; a small number of privately owned radio stations also broadcast

Internet
Country code: .nc
Users total: 235,200 (2021 est.)
Users percent of population: 82.01% (2019 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 55,371 (2016)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20.43 (2019)


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces: no regular military forces; France bases land, air, and naval forces on New Caledonia (Forces Armées de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, FANC)

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 3 (registered in France) (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 15 (registered in France)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports
Total: 25 (2013)
With paved runways total: 12
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2019)
With unpaved runways total: 13
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 8 (2013)

Heliports: 8 (2013)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways
Total: 5,622 km (2006)

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 24
By type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 18 (2021)

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Noumea


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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs