New Caledonia

overseas territory of FranceIndependence none (overseas territory of France)

New Caledonia as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 65 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalNoumea
Area19,060 km2
1990

Every edition of New Caledonia

Populationas each edition published it
153,215 people July 1990 · 307,612 in 2025
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 1.83% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 26.9 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 73.22 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3 children per woman 1990 · 1.82 in 2025
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
39 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 4.8 in 2025
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $6,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 2.4% in 1993

Geography

13 fields
Total area
19,060km2
land area: 18,760 km2Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Coastline
2,254km
land boundaries: noneTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Continental shelf

200 meters or to depth of exploitation;

Climate

  • tropical;
  • modified by southeast trade winds;
  • hot, humid

Terrain

coastal plains with interior mountains

Natural resources

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

Land use

  • NEGL% arable land;
  • NEGL% permanent crops;
  • 14% meadows and pastures;
  • 51% forest and woodland;
  • 35% other

Environment

typhoons most frequent from November to March

Note

located 1,750 km east of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean

People

13 fields
Population
153,215
(July 1990), growth rate 1.1% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth
24Death
7

Ethnic divisions

Melanesian 42.5%European 37.1%Wallisian 8.4%Polynesian 3.8%Indonesian 3.6%Vietnamese 1.6%other 3.0%

Net migration rate

- 7 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate

39 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth

64 years male, 71 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate

3.0 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality

noun--New Caledonian(s); adjective--New Caledonian

Religion

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

Language

French; Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Labor force

50,469; foreign workers for plantations and mines from Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, and French Polynesia (1980 est.)

Government

Overseas territory of France

17 fields

NA Territorial Congress, 54 seats, elected NA June 1989one dot, one seat

RPCR 27FLNKS 19FN 3others 5

Long-form name

Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

Type

overseas territory of France

Capital

Noumea

Administrative divisions

none (overseas territory of France)

Independence

none (overseas territory of France); note--a referendum on independence will be held in 1998, with a review of the issue in 1992

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

National holiday

Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Executive branch

high commissioner, Consultative Committee (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral Territorial Assembly

Judicial branch

  • Court of Appeal 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)

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 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

Communists

  • number unknown;
  • Palita extreme left party;
  • some politically active Communists deported during 1950s;
  • small number of North Vietnamese

Member of

EIB (associate), WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation

as an overseas territory of France, New Caledonian interests are represented in the US by France

Flag

the flag of France is used

Economy

New Caledonia has more than 40% of the world's known nickel resources.

16 fields

Budget

Revenues
$110.5 millionExpenditures
$110.5 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of NA (1981)

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.

GNP

$860 million, per capita $5,810; real growth rate 2.4% (1989 est.)

Exports

  • $75 million (f.o.b., 1986);
  • commodities--nickel metal 87%, nickel ore;
  • partners--France 56.3%, Japan

Imports

  • $180 million (c.i.f., 1986);
  • commodities--foods, fuels, minerals, machines, electrical equipment;
  • partners--France 50.3%, Australia

Industrial production

growth rate NA%

Electricity

400,000 kW capacity; 2,200 million kWh produced, 14,440 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

nickel mining

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

Currency

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural--francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

5 fields

Airports, 29 total, 27 usable

permanent-surface runways
5runways over 3,659 m
nonerunways 2,440-3,659 m
1runways 1,220-2,439 m
1

Highways

5,448 km total; 558 km paved, 2,251 km improved earth, 2,639 km unimproved earth

Ports

Noumea, Nepoui, Poro, Thio

Civil air

no major transport aircraft

Telecommunications

  • 32,578 telephones (1987);
  • stations--5 AM, 3 FM, 7 TV;
  • 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Defense Forces

1 field

Note

defense is the responsibility of France

Central Intelligence Agency. “New Caledonia.” The World Factbook 1990. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/new-caledonia/1990.

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