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 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 85 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Geography
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of | Australia
14 fieldsLand useshare of 19,060 sq km
Terrain
coastal plains with interior mountains
- lowest point:
- Pacific Ocean 0 m
- highest point:
- Mont Panie 1,628 m
Environment
- current issues:
- NA
- natural hazards:
- typhoons most frequent from November to March
- international agreements:
- NA
People
15 fieldsPer 1,000 population(1996 est.)
Male · female(1996 est.)
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 30% (male 28,941; female 27,929)
- 15-64 years:
- 64% (male 61,263; female 59,673)
- 65 years and over:
- 6% (male 4,750; female 5,228) (July 1996 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.91 male(s)/female
- all ages:
- 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Government
Overseas territory of France since 1956; President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) represented by High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Dominque BUR (since NA), who was appointed by the French Ministry of the Interior; President of the Territorial Assembly Pierre FROGIER (since NA) was elected by the members of the Assembly
21 fieldsLegislature, 54 seatsone dot, one seat
Legislature, 1 seatsone dot, one seat
Name of country
- 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
Legal system
the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President (of France) Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995) represented by High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Dominque BUR (since NA), who was appointed by the French Ministry of the Interior
- head of government:
- President of the Territorial Assembly Pierre FROGIER (since NA) was elected by the members of the Assembly
- cabinet:
- Consultative Committee
Territorial Assembly
- elections last held 9 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 2001);
- results - percent by party NA;
- seats - (54 total) RPCR 22, NCPT 7, other anti-independence parties 6, FLNKS 12, other pro-independence parties 7
French Senate
- elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA 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), Rock WAMYTAN;
- 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;
- Nouvelle-Caledonie Pour Toute (NCPT)
Flag
- three horizontal bands, blue (top), red, and green, with a yellow disk enclosing a black symbol centered to the hoist side;
- the flag of France is used for official occasions
Economy
New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's | known nickel resources.
20 fieldsGDP composition by sector(1992 est.)
Installed generating capacity, 250,000 kW
Economic overview
New Caledonia has more than 20% 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.
Exports
$477 million (f.o.b., 1992)
- commodities:
- nickel metal 22%, nickel ore
- partners:
- France 32.2%, Japan 23.5%, Germany 6.7%, US 3.6%, India 1.2%
Imports
$926 million (c.i.f., 1992)
- commodities:
- foods, fuels, minerals, machines, electrical equipment
- partners:
- France 46.3%, ECE 14.9%, Australia 10.2%, Japan 6.3%, New Zealand 4.4%
Exchange rates
- Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 91.00 (January 1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.93 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991);
- note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Transportation
6 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 28 in all
Networkskm
Merchant marine
total: 1 roll-on/roll-off ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,079 GRT/724 DWT (1995 est.)
Communications
French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, | Gendarmerie); Police Force
9 fieldsCite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “New Caledonia.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/new-caledonia/1996.