1990 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1990 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Coastline
2,254 km
Comparative area
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Continental shelf
200 meters or to depth of exploitation;
Environment
typhoons most frequent from November to March
Extended economic zone
200 nm;
Land boundaries
none
Land use
NEGL% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 14% meadows and pastures; 51% forest and woodland; 35% other
Natural resources
nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Note
located 1,750 km east of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean
Terrain
coastal plains with interior mountains
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
19,060 km2; land area: 18,760 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
24 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3.0%
Infant mortality rate
39 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
50,469; foreign workers for plantations and mines from Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, and French Polynesia (1980 est.)
Language
French; Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Life expectancy at birth
64 years male, 71 years female (1990)
Nationality
noun--New Caledonian(s); adjective--New Caledonian
Net migration rate
- 7 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
NA
Population
153,215 (July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)
Religion
over 60% Roman Catholic, 30% Protestant, 10% other
Total fertility rate
3.0 children born/woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (overseas territory of France)
Capital
Noumea
Communists
number unknown; Palita extreme left party; some politically active Communists deported during 1950s; small number of North Vietnamese
Constitution
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Diplomatic representation
as an overseas territory of France, New Caledonian interests are represented in the US by France
Elections
Territorial Congress--last held NA June 1989 (next to be held NA 1993); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(54 total) RPCR 27, FLNKS 19, FN 3, others 5; French Senate--last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(1 total) RPCR 1; French National Assembly--last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(2 total) RPCR 2
Executive branch
high commissioner, Consultative Committee (cabinet)
Flag
the flag of France is used
Independence
none (overseas territory of France); note--a referendum on independence will be held in 1998, with a review of the issue in 1992
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal
Leaders
Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); Head of Government High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Bernard GRASSET (since 15 July 1988)
Legal system
the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law
Legislative branch
unicameral Territorial Assembly
Long-form name
Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
Member of
EIB (associate), WFTU, WMO
National holiday
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Political parties
white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique (RPCR), conservative; Melanesian proindependence Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS); Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation (LKS); National Front (FN), extreme right; Caledonian Separatist Front, extreme left
Suffrage
universal adult at age NA
Type
overseas territory of France
Economy
Agriculture
large areas devoted to cattle grazing; coffee, corn, wheat, vegetables; 60% self-sufficient in beef
Aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $3.6 billion
Budget
revenues $110.5 million; expenditures $110.5 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1981)
Currency
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural--francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Electricity
400,000 kW capacity; 2,200 million kWh produced, 14,440 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1--104.71 (January 1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988), 109.27 (1987), 125.92 (1986), 163.35 (1985); note--linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Exports
$75 million (f.o.b., 1986); commodities--nickel metal 87%, nickel ore; partners--France 56.3%, Japan
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
calendar year
GNP
$860 million, per capita $5,810; real growth rate 2.4% (1989 est.)
Imports
$180 million (c.i.f., 1986); commodities--foods, fuels, minerals, machines, electrical equipment; partners--France 50.3%, Australia
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
nickel mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.5% (1986)
Overview
New Caledonia has more than 40% 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.
Unemployment rate
6.2% (1983)
Communications
Airports
29 total, 27 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
no major transport aircraft
Highways
5,448 km total; 558 km paved, 2,251 km improved earth, 2,639 km unimproved earth
Ports
Noumea, Nepoui, Poro, Thio
Telecommunications
32,578 telephones (1987); stations--5 AM, 3 FM, 7 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of France