2013 Edition

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 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.

Area

18,575 sq km 18,275 sq km 300 sq km

total

18,575 sq km

water

300 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Coastline

2,254 km

Elevation extremes

Pacific Ocean 0 m Mont Panie 1,628 m

highest point

Mont Panie 1,628 m

lowest point

Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment - current issues

erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geographic coordinates

21 30 S, 165 30 E

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

Irrigated land

100 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

0.38% 0.27% 99.34% (2011)

arable land

0.38%

other

99.34% (2011)

permanent crops

0.27%

Location

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

12 nm 200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

cyclones, most frequent from November to March Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active

volcanism

Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active

Natural resources

nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Terrain

coastal plains with interior mountains

Age structure

24% (male 32,390/female 30,996) 17.1% (male 23,000/female 22,060) 42.6% (male 56,533/female 55,907) 8.1% (male 10,526/female 10,842) 8.2% (male 9,732/female 12,036) (2013 est.)

0-14 years

24% (male 32,390/female 30,996)

15-24 years

17.1% (male 23,000/female 22,060)

25-54 years

42.6% (male 56,533/female 55,907)

55-64 years

8.1% (male 10,526/female 10,842)

65 years and over

8.2% (male 9,732/female 12,036) (2013 est.)

Birth rate

15.81 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)

Death rate

5.39 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)

Dependency ratios

48.3 % 33.6 % 14.7 % 6.8 (2013)

elderly dependency ratio

14.7 %

potential support ratio

6.8 (2013)

total dependency ratio

48.3 %

youth dependency ratio

33.6 %

Education expenditures

NA

Ethnic groups

Melanesian 44.1%, European 34.1%, Wallisian & Futunian 9%, Tahitian 2.6%, Indonesian 2.5%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 5.2% (1996 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

5.54 deaths/1,000 live births 6.54 deaths/1,000 live births 4.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

female

4.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

total

5.54 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Life expectancy at birth

77.13 years 73.08 years 81.37 years (2013 est.)

female

81.37 years (2013 est.)

total population

77.13 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write 96.2% 96.8% 95.5% (1996 census)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

95.5% (1996 census)

male

96.8%

total population

96.2%

Major urban areas - population

NOUMEA (capital) 144,000 (2009)

Median age

30.7 years 30.1 years 31.3 years (2013 est.)

female

31.3 years (2013 est.)

male

30.1 years

total

30.7 years

Nationality

New Caledonian(s) New Caledonian

adjective

New Caledonian

noun

New Caledonian(s)

Net migration rate

4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2013 est.)

Population

264,022 (July 2013 est.)

Population growth rate

1.45% (2013 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

1.05 male(s)/female 1.05 male(s)/female 1.04 male(s)/female 1.01 male(s)/female 0.98 male(s)/female 0.81 male(s)/female 1 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

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

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.81 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.02 children born/woman (2013 est.)

Urbanization

57% of total population (2010) 1.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

1.4% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

57% of total population (2010)

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three provinces named Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province Sud

Capital

Noumea 22 16 S, 166 27 E UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

22 16 S, 166 27 E

name

Noumea

time difference

UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998) (2013)

Country name

Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies New Caledonia Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances Nouvelle-Caledonie

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

Dependency status

territorial collectivity (or a sui generis collectivity) of France since 1998

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Executive branch

President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012); represented by High Commissioner Jean-Jacques BROT (since 2 February 2013); note - he was nominated on 23 January 2013 President of the Government Harold MARTIN (since 3 March 2011); note - since 3 March 2011, three different governments of Harold MARTIN have collapsed over the choice of a flag that will be used while it is being decolonized; President Harold MARTIN is head of a caretaker government Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held on 10 June 2011 (next to be held in June 2016)

cabinet

Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress

chief of state

President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012); represented by High Commissioner Jean-Jacques BROT (since 2 February 2013); note - he was nominated on 23 January 2013

elections

French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held on 10 June 2011 (next to be held in June 2016)

head of government

President of the Government Harold MARTIN (since 3 March 2011); note - since 3 March 2011, three different governments of Harold MARTIN have collapsed over the choice of a flag that will be used while it is being decolonized; President Harold MARTIN is head of a caretaker government

Flag description

the flag of France is used

Government type

parliamentary representative democracy

Independence

none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled to take place between 2014 and 2018

International organization participation

PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal in Noumea or Cour d'Appel (the highest local judicial court; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; number of judges NA); Conseil d'Etat (the highest local administrative court; number of judges NA) note - final appeals are heard before the Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation, in Paris NA Courts of First Instance include: civil, juvenile, commercial, labor, police, criminal, Assizes, and also a pre-trial investigation chamber; Joint Commerce Tribunal; administrative courts

highest court(s)

Court of Appeal in Noumea or Cour d'Appel (the highest local judicial court; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; number of judges NA); Conseil d'Etat (the highest local 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

Legal system

civil law system based on French law; the 1988 Matignon Accords (signed in the Matignon Hotel) set up a ten-year period of development during which the Kanak community received substantial autonomy but agreed not to raise the independece issue

Legislative branch

unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies, or Assemblees Provinciales, elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) last held on 9 May 2009 (next to be held on 10 May 2014) percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13, Caledonia Together 10, UC 8, UNI 8, AE 6, FLNKS 3, Labor Party 3, other 3 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 21 September 2008 (next to be held not later than September 2014); 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

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13, Caledonia Together 10, UC 8, UNI 8, AE 6, FLNKS 3, Labor Party 3, other 3

elections

last held on 9 May 2009 (next to be held on 10 May 2014)

National anthem

"Soyons unis, devenons freres" (Let Us Be United, Let Us Become Brothers) Chorale Melodia (a local choir) adopted 2008; the anthem 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)

lyrics/music

Chorale Melodia (a local choir)

name

"Soyons unis, devenons freres" (Let Us Be United, Let Us Become Brothers)

National holiday

Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1789); note - the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853)

National symbol(s)

kagu bird

Political parties and leaders

Caledonia Together [Philippe GOMES] Caledonian Union or UC [Daniel GOA] Front National or FN [Marine LE PEN] Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM) Labor Party [Louis Kotra UREGEI] National Union for Independence (Union Nationale pour l'Independance) or UNI Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE] Socialist Group [Jean Pierre BEL] Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE] The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN] The Rally or UMP [Pierre GROGIER] Union of Pro-Independence Co-operation Committees [Francois BURCK]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish

Budget

$996 million $1.072 billion (2001 est.)

expenditures

$1.072 billion (2001 est.)

revenues

$996 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

NA% of GDP

Debt - external

$79 million (1998 est.)

Economy - overview

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. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years.

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 85.74 (2011 est.) 90.01 (2010 est.)

Exports

$1.321 billion (2012 est.) $1.661 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners

Japan 17.2%, France 16.3%, South Korea 12.3%, China 9.6%, Australia 8.4%, Belgium 4.9% (2012)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

65.5% 28% 28.2% 0% 26.8% -48.5% (2012 est.)

exports of goods and services

26.8%

government consumption

28%

household consumption

65.5%

imports of goods and services

-48.5%

investment in fixed capital

28.2%

investment in inventories

0%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

2.1% 28.3% 69.6% (2012 est.)

agriculture

2.1%

industry

28.3%

services

69.6% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$37,700 (2008 est.) $15,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.6% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$9.28 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$9.28 billion (2008 est.) $3.158 billion (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

NA% NA%

highest 10%

NA%

lowest 10%

NA%

Imports

$3.245 billion (2012 est.) $3.698 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

France 33.5%, Singapore 22.5%, Australia 11.7%, NZ 5.1% (2012)

Industrial production growth rate

7% (2012 est.)

Industries

nickel mining and smelting

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.7% (2012 est.) 2.4% (2011 est.)

Labor force

106,400 (2010)

Labor force - by occupation

20% 20% 60% (2002)

agriculture

20%

industry

20%

services

60% (2002)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

17.1% (2004)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

3.026 million Mt (2011 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2013 es)

Electricity - consumption

1.84 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

76.8% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

15.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

7.6% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2012 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

499,000 kW (2010 est.)

Electricity - production

1.978 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2011 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2011 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2011 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2013 es)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

13,640 bbl/day (2011 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

116.9 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

14,670 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)

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

Internet hosts

34,231 (2012)

Internet users

85,000 (2009)

Telephone system

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 combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2010)

domestic

combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons

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

international

country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2010)

Telephones - main lines in use

80,000 (2012)

Telephones - mobile cellular

231,000 (2012)

Airports

25 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

10

over 3,047 m

1

total

12

under 914 m

1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

8 (2013)

914 to 1,523 m

5

total

13

Heliports

8 (2013)

Merchant marine

3 (France 3) (2010)

registered in other countries

3 (France 3) (2010)

Ports and terminals

Noumea

Roadways

5,622 km (2006)

total

5,622 km (2006)

Manpower available for military service

68,219 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

68,219 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

56,233 55,983 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

55,983 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

56,233

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

2,272 2,167 (2010 est.)

female

2,167 (2010 est.)

male

2,272

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Military branches

no regular military forces; French military, police, and gendarmerie (2012)

Military expenditures

NA

Disputes - international

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