New Caledonia

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

New Caledonia as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 108 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
LocationOceania, Melanesia, in the South Pacific Ocean, 1,750 km east of
1994

Every edition of New Caledonia

Populationas each edition published it
181,309 people July 1994 est. · 153,215 in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.79% 1994 est. · 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
2.62 children per woman 1994 est. · 3 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
15.1 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 39 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$6,000 1991 est. · $6,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
2.4% 1988 · 2.4% in 1993

Geography

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

22 fields
Coastline
2,254km
land boundaries: 0 km

Location

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

total area

19,060 sq km

land area

18,760 sq km

comparative area

slightly smaller than New Jersey

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

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

arable land

0%

permanent crops

0%

meadows and pastures

14%

forest and woodland

51%

other

35%

current issues

NA

natural hazards

typhoons most frequent from November to March

international agreements

NA

People

21 fields
Population
181,309
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 1.79% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
22.39Death
4.96Net migration
0.49

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%
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1976)

Infant mortality rate

15.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

73.62 years

male

70.32 years

female

77.09 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.62 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

New Caledonian(s)

adjective

New Caledonian

Languages

French, 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

total population

91%

male

91%

female

90%

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

26 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

44.5%
RPCR 44.5%FLNKS 28.5%FN 7%CD 5%UO 4%other 11%

Legislature, 54 seatsone dot, one seat

RPCR 27FLNKS 19FN 3other 5

Legislature, 1 seatsone dot, one seat

RPCR 1

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)

National holiday

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

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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; appointed by the French Ministry of the Interior);
  • President of the Territorial Congress Simon LOUECKHOTE (since 26 June 1989)

cabinet

Consultative Committee

Territorial Assembly

  • elections 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

French Senate

  • elections 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

  • elections last held 21 March 1993 (next to be held 21 and 28 March 1998);
  • results - percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats - (2 total) RPCR 2

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal

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, Clarence UREGEI;
  • Union Caledonian (UC), Francois BURCK

Member of

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

Diplomatic representation in US

none (overseas territory of 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. | In recent years the economy has suffered because of depressed | international demand for nickel, the principal source of export | earnings.

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

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.)

revenues

$224 million

expenditures

$211 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985 est.)

Exports

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

commodities

nickel metal 87%, nickel ore

partners

France 32%, Japan 23.5%, US 3.6%

Imports

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

commodities

foods, fuels, minerals, machines, electrical equipment

partners

France 44.0%, US 10%, Australia 9%

capacity

400,000 kW

production

2.2 billion kWh

consumption per capita

12,790 kWh (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

recipient

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4.185 billion

Currency

1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Exchange rates

  • Comptoirs Francais duPacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 107.63 (January 1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989);
  • note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

11 fields

total

6,340 km

paved

634 km

unpaved

5,706 km (1987)

Ports

Noumea, Nepoui, Poro, Thio

total

30

usable

28

with permanent-surface runways

4

with runways over 3,659 m

0

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

1

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

1

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 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/new-caledonia/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →