1991 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1991 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Coastline
2,254 km
Comparative area
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Environment
typhoons most frequent from November to March
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land NEGL%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 14%; forest and woodland 51%; other 35%
Maritime claims
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm
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
Total area
19,060 km2; land area: 18,760 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
23 births/1,000 population (1991)
Death rate
5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
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
17 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
Labor force
50,469; foreign workers for plantations and mines from Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, and French Polynesia (1980 est.)
Language
French; 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Life expectancy at birth
69 years male, 76 years female (1991)
Literacy
91% (male 91%, female 90%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976)
Nationality
noun--New Caledonian(s); adjective--New Caledonian
Net migration rate
1 migrant/1,000 population (1991)
Organized labor
NA
Population
171,559 (July 1991), growth rate 1.9% (1991)
Religion
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Total fertility rate
2.8 children born/woman (1991)
Government
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
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 Assembly--last held 11 June 1989 (next to be held NA 1993); results--percent of vote by party--RPCR 44.5%, FLNKS 28.5%, FN 7%, CD 5%, UO 4%, other 11%; seats--(54 total) RPCR 27, FLNKS 19, FN 3, other 5; note--election boycotted by FULK; 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--RPR 83.5%, FN 13.5%, other 3%; 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
FZ, SPC, WFTU, WMO
National holiday
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Political parties
white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique (RPCR), conservative, Jacques LAFLEUR--affiliated to France's Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR); Melanesian proindependence Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), Paul NEAOUTYINE; Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation (LKS), Nidoish NAISSELINE; National Front (FN), extreme right, Guy GEORGE; Caledonie Demain (CD), right-wing, Bernard MARANT; Union Oceanienne (UO), conservative, Michel HEMA; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak (FULK), proindependence, Yann CELENE
Suffrage
universal adult at age 18
Type
overseas territory of France since 1956
Economy
Agriculture
large areas devoted to cattle grazing; coffee, corn, wheat, vegetables; 60% self-sufficient in beef
Budget
revenues $224.0 million; expenditures $211.0 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985)
Currency
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural--francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.9 billion
Electricity
400,000 kW capacity; 2,200 million kWh produced, 12,790 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1--93.28 (January 1991), 99.00 (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
$344 million (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--nickel metal 87%, nickel ore; partners--France 52.3%, Japan 15.8%, US 6.4%
External debt
$NA
Fiscal year
calendar year
GNP
$973 million, per capita $5,790; real growth rate 2.4% (1990 est.)
Illicit drugs
illicit cannabis cultivation is becoming a principal source of income for some families
Imports
$389 million (c.i.f., 1989); commodities--foods, fuels, minerals, machines, electrical equipment; partners--France 44.0%, US 10%, Australia 9%
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
nickel mining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.1% (1989)
Overview
New Caledonia has more than 25% 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
16.0% (1989)
Communications
Airports
29 total, 27 usable; 6 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
1 major transport aircraft
Highways
6,340 km total; only about 10% paved (1987)
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
Branches
Gendarmerie, Police Force
Manpower availability
males 15-49, 46,388; NA fit for military service
Note
defense is the responsibility of France _%_