New Caledonia

Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

NAIndependence none (overseas territory of France

New Caledonia as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 92 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

Position21 30 S, 165 30 E

Area19,060 sq km

LocationOceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of

Populationas each edition published it

191,003 people July 1997 est. · 153,215 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.68% 1997 est. · 1.83% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

74.68 years 1997 est. · 73.22 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.5 children per woman 1997 est. · 3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

13.3 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 39 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$8,000 1995 est. · $6,000 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.4% in 1993

Geography

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

17 fields

Land useshare of 19,060 sq km

permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 12%forests and woodland 39%other 49% (1993 est.)arable land 0% in all

Area

19,060sq km

land: 18,575 sq kmwater: 485 sq kmslightly smaller than New Jersey

Coastline

2,254km

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

Highest point

1,628m

Mont Panielowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

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

Natural hazards

typhoons most frequent from November to March

Environment - international agreements

party to :: NA
signed, but not ratified:: NA

People

15 fields

Population

191,003

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.68% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

21.43Death

4.86Net migration

0.23

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1997 est.)74.68

71.4 · 78.11

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1976 est.)91%

92% · 90%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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 : 30% (male 29,204; female 28,140)

15-64 years:: 65% (male 62,344; female 60,864)
65 years and over:: 5% (male 4,972; female 5,479) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years :: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: New Caledonian(s)
adjective:: New Caledonian

Languages

French, 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Government

NA; President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Dominque BUR (since NA August 1995); President of the Territorial Congress Pierre FROGIER (since 31 July 1995)

19 fields

Legislature, 54 seats, elected 9 July 1995one dot, one seat

RPCR 22FLNKS 12UNCT 7various left parties 7various right parties 6

Country name

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

Data code

Dependency status

overseas territory of France since 1956

Government type

National 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)

Legal system

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 August 1995)
head of government:: President of the Territorial Congress Pierre FROGIER (since 31 July 1995)
cabinet:: Consultative Committee
elections:: high commissioner appointed by the president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
president of the Territorial Congress elected by the members of the congress

Legislative branch

unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)

elections:: last held 9 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 2001)
election results:: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR 22, FLNKS 12, UNCT 7, various left parties 7, various right parties 6

note : New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 21 March 1993 (next to be held 25 May-1 June 1997 - special election); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR 2

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders

white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique or RPCR (conservative) [Jacques LAFLEUR, president] - affiliated to France's Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (also called South Province Party);
Melanesian proindependence Kanaka Socialist National Liberation Front or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN];
Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE];
National Front or FN (extreme right) [Guy GEORGE];
Caledonie Demain or CD (right-wing) [Bernard MARANT];
Union Oceanienne or UO (conservative) [Michel HEMA];
Front de Developpement des Iles Loyautes or FDIL [Cono HAMU];
Union Caledonian or UC [Francois BURCK, president];
A New Caledonia for All or UNCT [Didier LEROUX]

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description

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.

22 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

1.4%

(1990)

Unemployment rate

15%

(1994)

Labor force

70,044

(1988)by occupation: agriculture 32%, industry 20%, services 40%, mining 8% (1992)

GDP - composition by sector(1992 est.)

agriculture 5%industry 35%services 60% (1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$755.6 millionExpenditures

$755.6 million (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Economy - 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. In addition to nickel, financial support from France and tourism are key to the health of the economy.

total value:: $528 million (f.o.b., 1995)
commodities:: nickel metal 24.5%, nickel ore
partners:: France 32.2%, Japan 23.5%, Germany 6.7%, US 3.6%, India 1.2%

Imports

total value :: $980 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%

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 98.48 (January 1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.93 (1994), 102.96 (1993), 96.24 (1992);
note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc