New Caledonia

Territory of New Caledonia and DependenciesTerritoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

overseas territory of France since 1956Independence none (overseas territory of France

New Caledonia as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 72 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
Locationin the South Pacific Ocean, 1,750 km east of Australia
1993

Every edition of New Caledonia

Populationas each edition published it
178,056 people July 1993 est. · 153,215 in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.83% 1993 est. · 1.11% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 26.9 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
73.22 years 1993 est. · 79.3 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
2.67 children per woman 1993 est. · 3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
15.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 39 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$6,000 1991 est. · $34,600 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
2.4% 1988 · 3.5% in 2025

Geography

In the South Pacific Ocean, 1,750 km east of Australia

13 fields

Land useshare of 19,060 km2

permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 14%forest and woodland 51%other 35%arable land 0% in all
Area
19,060km2
land area: 18,760 km2comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Coastline
2,254km
land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

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

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

Environment

typhoons most frequent from November to March

People

14 fields
Population
178,056
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.83% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
22.7Death
5.01Net migration
0.58

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years73.22
69.92 · 76.7
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy91%
91% · 90%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1976)

Ethnic divisions

Melanesian 42.5%European 37.1%Wallisian 8.4%Polynesian 3.8%Indonesian 3.6%Vietnamese 1.6%other 3%

Religions

Roman Catholic 60%Protestant 30%other 10%

Infant mortality rate

15.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.67 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
New Caledonian(s)
adjective:
New Caledonian

Languages

French, 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Labor force

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

Government

Overseas territory of France since 1956

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

83.5%
RPR 83.5%FN 13.5%other 3%

Names

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

Type

overseas territory of France since 1956

Capital

Noumea

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

Independence

none (overseas territory of France; a referendum on independence will be held in 1998)

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

National holiday

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Political parties and leaders

  • white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique (RPCR), conservative, Jacques LAFLEUR - affiliated to France's Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR);
  • Melanesian proindependence Kanaka 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, UREGEI;
  • Union Caledonian (UC), Francois BURCK

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Elections

French Senate:
  • last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held September 2001);
  • 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 21 and 28 March 1993);
  • results - RPR 83.5%, FN 13.5%, other 3%;
  • seats - (2 total) RPCR 2
Territorial Assembly:
  • last held 11 June 1989 (next to be held 1993);
  • results - 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

Executive branch

French president, high commissioner, Consultative Committee (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral Territorial Assembly

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 Alain CHRISTNACHT (since 15 January 1991)

Member of

ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

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

US diplomatic representation

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag

the flag of France is used

Economy

New Caledonia has more than 25% of the world's known nickel resources.

19 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$6,000
(1991 est.)
Real growth rate
2.4%
(1988)industrial production growth: growth rate NA%

Budget

Revenues
$224.0 millionExpenditures
$211.0 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985)

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.

National product

GNP - exchange rate conversion - $1 billion (1991 est.)

Exports

$671 million (f.o.b., 1989)

commodities:
nickel metal 87%, nickel ore
partners:
France 52.3%, Japan 15.8%, US 6.4%

Imports

$764 million (c.i.f., 1989)

commodities:
foods, fuels, minerals, machines, electrical equipment
partners:
France 44.0%, US 10%, Australia 9%

Electricity

400,000 kW capacity; 2,200 million kWh produced, 12,790 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

nickel mining and smelting

Agriculture

  • large areas devoted to cattle grazing;
  • coffee, corn, wheat, vegetables;
  • 60% self-sufficient in beef

Illicit drugs

illicit cannabis cultivation is becoming a principal source of income for some families

Economic aid

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4,185 million

Currency

1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

  • Comptoirs Francais duPacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 99.65 (January 1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988);
  • note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

4 fields

Highways

6,340 km total; only about 10% paved (1987)

Ports

Noumea, Nepoui, Poro, Thio

Airports

total:
29
usable:
27
with permanent-surface runways:
2
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
1
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
2

Telecommunications

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

Defense Forces

Gendarmerie, Police Force

2 fields

Branches

Gendarmerie, Police Force

Note

defense is the responsibility of France

Central Intelligence Agency. “New Caledonia.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/new-caledonia/1993.

How to cite ← 1992 edition 1994 edition →