New Caledonia
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
NAIndependence none (overseas territory of France)
New Caledonia as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 110 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated.
Geography
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
16 fieldsLand use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 12% forests and woodland: 39% other: 49% (1993 est.)
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 30.31% (male 31,674; female 30,416) 15-64 years: 63.95% (male 66,014; female 65,006) 65 years and over: 5.74% (male 5,548; female 6,205) (2001 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: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.02 years male: 70.08 years female: 76.11 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92% female: 90% (1976 est.)
Government
NA
19 fieldsTerritorial Congress or Congres Territorial, 2 seatsone dot, one seat
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
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
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 Thierry LATASTE (since 19 July 1999) head of government: President of the Government Jean LEQUES (since 28 May 1999) 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 government elected by the members of the Territorial 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 five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1 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;
- County Courts;
- Joint Commerce Tribunal Court;
- Children's Court
Political parties and leaders
- Alliance pour la Caledonie [Didier LEROUX];
- Developper Ensemble pour Construire l'Avenir or DEPCA [Robert FROUIN];
- Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Leopald SOREDIE];
- Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE];
- Groupe de l'Alliance Multiraciale or GAM [Dany DALMAYRAE];
- Independance et Progres [Alphonse PUJAPUJANE];
- Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM);
- La Caledonie Autrement [Denis MILLIARD];
- Loyalty Islands Development Front or FDIL [Cono HAMU];
- National Front or FN [Guy GEORGE];
- Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Charles WASHETINE];
- Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR];
- Rally for the Republic or RPR [leader NA];
- Renouveau [Thierry VALET];
- Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE];
- Union Caledonienne or UC [Bernard LEPEU];
- Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE];
- Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Andre GOPEA]
Economy
New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's known nickel resources.
32 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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 20% of imports.
In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are being transferred to local ownership.
Budget
revenues: $861.3 million expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)
Imports - commodities
transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice
Exchange rates
- Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996);
- note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Transportation
9 fieldsMerchant marine
total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.)
Military
French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
4 fieldsTransnational Issues
1 fieldDisputes - international
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “New Caledonia.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/new-caledonia/2001.