Introduction :: NEW CALEDONIA
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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 a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct a referendum between 2014 and 2018 to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.
Geography :: NEW CALEDONIA
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Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
21 30 S, 165 30 E
Oceania
total: 18,575 sq km
land: 18,275 sq km
water: 300 sq km
country comparison to the world: 156
slightly smaller than New Jersey
0 km
2,254 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
coastal plains with interior mountains
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
agricultural land: 10.4%
arable land 0.4%; permanent crops 0.2%; permanent pasture 9.8%
forest: 45.9%
other: 43.7% (2011 est.)
100 sq km (2003)
cyclones, most frequent from November to March
volcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
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 and Society :: NEW CALEDONIA
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noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian
Kanak 40.3%, European 29.2%, Wallisian, Futunian 8.7%, Tahitian 2%, Indonesian 1.6%, Vietnamese 1%, Ni-Vanuatu 0.9%, other 16.2% (2009 est.)
French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
271,615 (July 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
0-14 years: 23.19% (male 32,178/female 30,804)
15-24 years: 16.89% (male 23,435/female 22,448)
25-54 years: 42.99% (male 58,769/female 57,994)
55-64 years: 8.21% (male 10,874/female 11,417)
65 years and over: 8.72% (male 10,558/female 13,138) (2015 est.)
population pyramid:
total dependency ratio: 47.9%
youth dependency ratio: 32.9%
elderly dependency ratio: 15%
potential support ratio: 6.6% (2015 est.)
total: 31.4 years
male: 30.7 years
female: 32 years (2015 est.)
1.38% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
15.33 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 130
5.52 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
4.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
urban population: 70.2% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 2.17% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
NOUMEA (capital) 181,000 (2014)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
total: 5.37 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.33 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
total population: 77.5 years
male: 73.49 years
female: 81.71 years (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
1.97 children born/woman (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
improved:
urban: 98.5% of population
rural: 98.5% of population
total: 98.5% of population
unimproved:
urban: 1.5% of population
rural: 1.5% of population
total: 1.5% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved:
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
NA
NA
NA
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.9%
male: 97.3%
female: 96.5% (2015 est.)
Government :: NEW CALEDONIA
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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
territorial collectivity (or a sui generis collectivity) of France since 1998
parliamentary representative democracy
name: Noumea
geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
3 provinces; Province Iles (Islands Province), Province Nord (North Province), and Province Sud (South Province)
none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but was rejected; a new referendum must be held before 2019
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1789); note - the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853)
4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998) (2015)
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
see France
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012); represented by High Commissioner Jean-Jacques BROT (since 2 February 2013)
head of government: President of the Government Philippe GERMAINE (since 1 April 2015); Vice President Jean-Louis D'ANGLEBERME (since 1 April 2015)
cabinet: Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress
elections/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 10 June 2011 (next to be held in June 2016)
election results: Philippe GERMAINE (Caledonia Together) elected president by Territorial Congress; vote NA
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du Territoire (54 seats; members indirectly selected proportionally by the partisan makeup of the 3 Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees 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 holds two seats in the French Senate; elections last held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held not later than September 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held on 17 June 2012 (next to be held by June 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2
elections: last held on 11 May 2014 (next to be held on May 2019); note - the government that was elected on 11 May 2014 collapsed within 6 months leading to a new election on 31 December 2015 which re-elected the same government
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Caledonia Together 13, FLNKS 9, UMP 7, Union for Caledonia in France 6, Build Our Rainbow Nation 6, National Union for Independence 6, other 7
highest resident court(s): Court of Appeal in Noumea or Cour d'Appel; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; number of judges NA); Administrative Court; number of judges NA);
judge selection and term of office: NA
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
Build Our Rainbow Nation
Caledonia Together [Philippe GOMES]
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 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) [Pierre FROGIER]
Union for Caledonia in France; note - dissolved in July 2014
NA
ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WMO
none (overseas territory of France)
none (overseas territory of France)
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
fleche faitiere (native rooftop adornment), kagu bird; national colors: blue, red, green, yellow, black
name: "Soyons unis, devenons freres" (Let Us Be United, Let Us Become Brothers)
lyrics/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)
Economy :: NEW CALEDONIA
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New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel reserves. 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; during 2009-10, France sent more development assistance to New Caledonia than to any of its other overseas territories. In October 2014, French Prime Minster Manuel VALLS confirmed financial support to New Caledonia totaling $500 million for the period 2016-20. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry — including two major new plants, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years. In 2015 New Caledonia is likely to help fill China’s shortfall in nickel supplies left by an Indonesian ban on nickel ore exports. The new government, which inherited a $112 million deficit in 2013, is expected to focus on bringing the territory’s budget back into balance.
$11.1 billion (2014 est.)
$10.8 billion (2013 est.)
$10.57 billion (2012)
country comparison to the world: 156
$11.1 billion (2014 est.)
2.8% (2014 est.)
2.2% (2013)
2.9% (2012)
country comparison to the world: 119
$38,800 (2012 est.)
$36,500 (2010 est.)
$27,300 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 42
household consumption: 62%
government consumption: 24.5%
investment in fixed capital: 41.7%
investment in inventories: 0.1%
exports of goods and services: 19.7%
imports of goods and services: -48%
(2014 est.)
agriculture: 1.4%
industry: 25.9%
services: 72.8% (2014 est.)
vegetables; beef, venison, other livestock products; fish
nickel mining and smelting
6% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
106,400 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
agriculture: 2.7%
industry: 22.4%
services: 74.9% (2010)
17.1% (2004)
country comparison to the world: 158
NA%
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
revenues: $996 million
expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)
NA% of GDP
calendar year
0.2% (2014 est.)
1.3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
$NA
$1.565 billion (2014 est.)
$1.196 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
France 18.4%, Japan 15.7%, Republic of Korea 12.1% (2014)
$3.323 billion (2014 est.)
$3.24 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
France 22.2%, Singapore 18.6%, Australia 10.9% (2014)
$112 million (31 December 2013 est.)
$79 million (31 December 1998 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -
89.85 (2013 est.)
89.8 (2013 est.)
85.74 (2011 est.)
90.01 (2010 est.)
Energy :: NEW CALEDONIA
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2.92 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
2.716 billion kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
0 kWh (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
0 kWh (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
499,200 kW (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 141
76.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
15.6% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
7.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
0 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
0 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
14,500 bbl/day (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
116.9 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
14,670 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 108
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 176
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
0 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
3.071 million Mt (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
Communications :: NEW CALEDONIA
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total subscriptions: 88,500
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 146
total: 243,100
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 91 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 179
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
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2010)
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)
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)
.nc
total: 169,100
percent of population: 63.1% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
Transportation :: NEW CALEDONIA
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25 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 128
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2013)
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m:
8 (2013)
8 (2013)
total: 5,622 km (2006)
country comparison to the world: 152
registered in other countries: 3 (France 3) (2010)
country comparison to the world: 137
major seaport(s): Noumea
Military :: NEW CALEDONIA
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no regular military forces; French military, police, and gendarmerie (2012)
males age 16-49: 68,219 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 56,233
females age 16-49: 55,983 (2010 est.)
male: 2,272
female: 2,167 (2010 est.)
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues :: NEW CALEDONIA
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Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
Central Intelligence Agency
