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 1995 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 79 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 sq km

LocationOceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of

Populationas each edition published it

184,552 people July 1995 est. · 153,215 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.75% 1995 est. · 1.83% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.02 years 1995 est. · 73.22 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.57 children per woman 1995 est. · 3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

14.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1995 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, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of | Australia

13 fields

Land useshare of 19,060 sq km

permanent crops 0%meadows and pastures 14%forest and woodland 51%other 35%arable land 0% in all

Area

19,060sq km

land area: 18,760 sq kmcomparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Coastline

2,254km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Location

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

Climate

tropical;
modified by southeast trade winds;
hot, humid

Natural resources

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

Environment

current issues:: NA
natural hazards:: typhoons most frequent from November to March
international agreements:: NA

People

15 fields

Population

184,552

(July 1995 est.)growth rate: 1.75% (1995 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1995 est.)

Birth

22.04Death

4.9Net migration

0.4

Male · female(1995 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years74.02

70.73 · 77.48

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy91%

92% · 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%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 31% (female 27,712; male 28,677)
15-64 years:: 64% (female 58,462; male 60,169)
65 years and over:: 5% (female 4,997; male 4,535) (July 1995 est.)

Infant mortality rate

14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 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; President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Didier CULTIAUX (since NA July 1994

21 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

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

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)

Legal system

the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government:: High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Didier CULTIAUX (since NA July 1994; 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 July 1995);
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

Political parties and leaders

white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique (RPCR), conservative, Jacques LAFLEUR, president - affiliated to France's Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR; also called South Province Party);
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, president;
"1999" (new party calling for an autonomous state), Philippe PENTECOST

Member of

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

Diplomatic representation in US

none (overseas territory of France)

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%

Inflation, consumer prices

1.4%

(1990)

Unemployment rate

16%

(1989)

Budget

Revenues

$224 millionExpenditures

$211 million (1985 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 250,000 kW

Electricity production

1.2 billionElectricity consumption per capita

6,178 (1993)

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

GDP - purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1991 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%

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

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 96.25 (January 1995), 100.93 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990);
note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc