New Caledonia

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

NAIndependence none (overseas territory of France)

New Caledonia as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 102 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

197,361 people July 1999 est. · 153,215 in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.59% 1999 est. · 1.83% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.9 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

75.35 years 1999 est. · 73.22 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

2.43 children per woman 1999 est. · 3 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

12.15 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 39 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$11,400 1996 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

197,361

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 1.59% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

20.68Death

4.82Net migration

0.08

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)75.35

72.1 · 78.77

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:: 29% (male 29,610; female 28,485)
15-64 years:: 65% (male 64,552; female 63,229)
65 years and over:: 6% (male 5,443; female 6,042) (1999 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:: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

12.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

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

Languages

French, 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Government

NA; President Jacques CHIRAC of France (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 Simon LOUECKHOTE (since NA 1998)

20 fields

Legislature, 56 seats, elected 9 July 1995one dot, one seat

-RPR 22FLNKS 12UNCT 9UNI 5DEPCA 2FN 2RCF 2and other 2

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

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); note--a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass

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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (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 Simon LOUECKHOTE (since NA 1998)
cabinet:: Consultative Committee
elections:: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term;
high commissioner appointed by the French president 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--RPR 22, FLNKS 12, UNCT 9, UNI 5, DEPCA 2, FN 2, RCF 2, and other 2

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--RPR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR 2

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders

Progressive Melanesian Union or POSTIC]; Union des Synicates de Travailleurs Kanaks Exploites or

Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR is a coalition of 5 parties

Union

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.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$11,400

purchasing power parity? · (1996 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.7%

(1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

15%

(1994)

Labor force

70,044

(1988)

GDP--composition by sector(1996)

agriculture 3%industry 25%services 72% (1996)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

29%

France

45%

31%

Japan

Australia

18%

12%

Singapore

Taiwan

New Zealand

Exports $500 million (f.o.b., 1996)Imports $845 million (c.i.f., 1996)(1996 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$755.6 millionExpenditures

$755.6 million (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 69.87%hydro 30.13%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

1.145 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

1.145 billion (1996)

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. Performance in 1998 was hampered by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower expected prices for nickel.

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1--102.72 (January 1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.93 (1994);
note--linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc