New Caledonia

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.

• tropical;
• modified by southeast trade winds;
• hot, humid

0-14 years:

29.7% (male 31,990; female 30,695)

15-64 years:

64.2% (male 68,093; female 67,205)

65 years and over:

6.1% (male 6,016; female 6,799) (2003 est.)

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.89 male(s)/female

total population:

1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

noun:

New Caledonian(s)

adjective:

New Caledonian

conventional long form:

Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

conventional short form:

New Caledonia

local short form:

Nouvelle-Caledonie

local long form:

Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

• none (overseas territory of France);
• note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass;
• a new referendum is scheduled for 2014

chief of state:

President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3 July 2002)

elections:

• French president elected by popular vote for a five-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;
• note - last election held 28 November 2002 when Pierre FROGIER was reelected

head of government:

President of the Government Pierre FROGIER (since 5 April 2001)

cabinet:

Consultative Committee

• Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel;
• County Courts;
• Joint Commerce Tribunal Court;
• Children's Court

• Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX];
• Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK];
• Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE];
• Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE];
• Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA] (includes
  • PALIKA,
  • UNI,
  • UC,
  • and UPM)
  ;
• Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE];
• Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR];
• Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE];
• note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA;
• Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

general assessment:

NA

domestic:

NA

international:

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

total:

4,825 km

paved:

2,287 km

unpaved:

2,538 km (1999)

total:

1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT

ships by type:

cargo 1

note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Malaysia 1 (2002 est.)

• no regular indigenous military forces;
• French Armed Forces (including
  • Army,
  • Navy,
  • Air Force,
  • Gendarmerie)
  ;
• Police Force