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 two decades transferred an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. In a referendum held in November 2018, residents rejected independence and decided to retain their territorial status, although two additional referendums may occur in 2020 and 2022, per the Noumea Accord.

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map reference: Oceania

Area
Total: 18,575 km²
Land: 18,275 km²
Water: 300 km²
Rank: 156
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: 0 m
Note: lowest point: Pacific Ocean

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 10.4% (2011 est.)
Forest: 45.9% (2011 est.)
Other: 43.7% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land: 100 km² (2012)

Natural hazards: cyclones, most frequent from November to Marchvolcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active

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

Population
Distribution: most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea: 282,754 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 183
Growth rate: 1.3% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 85
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

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

Age structure
0-14 years: 22.19% (male 32,057 /female 30,675)
15-24 years: 16.16% (male 23,355 /female 22,349)
25-54 years: 43.66% (male 62,227 /female 61,215)
55-64 years: 8.57% (male 11,713 /female 12,530)
65 years and over: 9.42% (male 11,790 /female 14,843) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 48.3 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 33.9 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 14.4 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 6.9 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 32.3 years
Male: 31.5 years
Female: 33 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 103

Population growth rate: 1.3% (2018 est.)
Rank: 85

Birth rate: 14.8 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 128

Death rate: 5.7 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 175

Net migration rate:
Rank: 29

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: 70.7% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 1.89% annual rate of change

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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female (2017 est.)
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 5.2 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 6.1 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Female: 4.2 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Rank: 174

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78 years (2018 est.)
Male: 74.1 years (2018 est.)
Female: 82.2 years (2018 est.)
Rank: 65

Total fertility rate: 1.92 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 130

Drinking water source
Urban: 1.5% of population
Rural: 1.5% of population
Total: 1.5% of population (2015 est.)

Physicians density: 2.22 physicians/1000 population (2009)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate note: NA
People living with hivaids note: NA
Deaths note: NA

Major infectious diseases: note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus

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

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)

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

Independence: none none (overseas collectivity of France); note - an independence referendum took place on 4 November 2018 with a majority voting to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo

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 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

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 Thierry LATASTE (since 20 June 2016)
Head of government: President of the Government Philippe GERMAIN (since 1 April 2015); Vice President Jean-Louis DANGLEBERME (since 1 April 2015)
Cabinet: Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress
Electionsappointments: 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 31 August 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
Election results: Philippe GERMAIN(Caledonia Together) reelected president by Territorial Congress; vote NA

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results: Territorial Congress - percent of vote by party - N/A; seats by party - seats by party - CE 13, FLNKS 9, UMP 7, Union for Caledonia in France 6, Build Our Rainbow Nation 6, UNI 6, other 7; composition - men 30, women 24, percent of women 44.4%

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Appeal in Noumea or Cour dAppel; 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 Frances 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 NationCaledonia 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) [Roch WAMYTAN]Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PT [Louis Kotra UREGEI]National Union for Independence (Union Nationale pour l'Independance) or UNIParty 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: 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)
Lyricsmusic: 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 overview: New Caledonia has 11% of the world's nickel reserves, representing the second largest reserves on the planet. 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.With the gradual increase in the production of two new nickel plants in 2015, average production of metallurgical goods stood at a record level of 94 thousand tons. However, the sector is exposed to the high volatility of nickel prices, which have been in decline since 2016. In 2017, one of the three major mining firms on the island, Vale, put its operations up for sale, triggering concerns of layoffs ahead of the 2018 independence referendum.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 159

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 154

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 66

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: vegetables; beef, venison, other livestock products; fish

Industries: nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (2017 est.)
Rank: 87

Labor force: 119,500 (2016 est.)
Rank: 181
By occupation agriculture: 2.7%
By occupation industry: 22.4%
By occupation services: 74.9% (2010)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 171

Population below poverty line: 17% (2008)

Budget
Revenues: 1.995 billion (2015 est.)
Expenditures: 1.993 billion (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit: 0% (of GDP) (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 45

Taxes and other revenues: 20.4% (of GDP) (2015 est.)
Rank: 147

Public debt:
Rank: 203

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 79

Stock of domestic credit: $9.522 billion (2015 est.)
Rank: 107

Market value of publicly traded shares: NA

Current account balance:
Rank: 156

Exports: $2.207 billion (2014 est.)
Rank: 138
Partners: China 25.4%, Japan 16.6%, South Korea 14.8%, France 8.2%, Belgium 5%, US 4.6% (2017)
Commodities: ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Imports:
Rank: 154
Commodities: machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Partners: France 24.2%, Singapore 13.1%, China 9.2%, Australia 7.1%, South Korea 5.2%, Malaysia 4.7%, NZ 4.4%, US 4.4% (2017)

Debt external:
Rank: 192

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 87

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 94

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Access population without electricity: 112,895 (2012)
Access electrification total population: 59% (2012)
Access electrification urban areas: 68% (2012)
Access electrification rural areas: 45% (2012)
Production: 2.945 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 133
Consumption: 2.739 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 139
Exports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 175
Imports: 0 kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 178
Installed generating capacity: 996,200 kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 128
Generation sources fossil fuels: 87% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 64
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 153
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 123
Generation sources other renewable sources: 6% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 101

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2017 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 181
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 174
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 175
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 177

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 186
Products consumption: 20,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 142
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 188
Products imports: 19,100 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 124

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 178
Consumption: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 182
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 160
Imports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 165
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 176

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 6.165 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 128

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 92,000 (July 2016 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (July 2016 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 142
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 246,000 (July 2016 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 91 (July 2016 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 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 (2015)
Domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 120 per 100 persons (2015)
International: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2015)

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)

Internet
Country code: .nc
Users total: 201,000 (July 2016 est.)
Users percent of population: 74% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 170

National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 2
Note: (registered in France) (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 10

Airports: 25 (2013)
Rank: 129
With paved runways total: 12 (2017)
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2017)
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10 (2017)
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 13 (2013)
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5 (2013)
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 8 (2013)

Heliports: 8 (2013)

Roadways
Total: 5,622 km (2006)
Rank: 151

Merchant marine
Total: 9 (2017)
By type: general cargo 2, other 7 (2017)
Rank: 155

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Noumea

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