New Caledonia
Territory of New Caledonia and DependenciesTerritoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
parliamentary democracy (Territorial Congress)Independence none (special collectivity of France)
New Caledonia as the 2017 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 143 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island became 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 ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct a referendum by November 2018 to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.
Geography
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
18 fieldsLand use
- agricultural land:
- 10.4%;
- arable land 0.4%;
- permanent crops 0.2%;
- permanent pasture 9.8%
- forest:
- 45.9%
- other:
- 43.7% (2011 est.)
Population - distribution
most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea
Natural hazards
cyclones, most frequent from November to March; volcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active
Geography - note
consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls
People and Society
27 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2017 est.)
Per 1,000 population
Male · female
Ethnic groups
Kanak 40.3%, European 29.2%, Wallisian, Futunian 8.7%, Tahitian 2%, Indonesian 1.6%, Vietnamese 1%, Ni-Vanuatu 0.9%, other 16.2% (2009 est.)
Net migration rate
3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2017 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Population distribution
most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0-14 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-24 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 25-54 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 55-64 years:
- 0.94 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.8 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
Major infectious diseases
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito;
other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
Government
Parliamentary democracy (Territorial Congress); President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); President of the Government (vacant)
22 fieldsCountry 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
- etymology:
- British explorer Captain James COOK discovered and named New Caledonia in 1774;
- he used the appellation because the northeast of the island reminded him of Scotland (Caledonia is the Latin designation for Scotland)
Dependency status
territorial collectivity (or a sui generis collectivity) of France since 1998; an independence referendum is to take place by November 2018
Capital
- name:
- Noumea
- geographic coordinates:
- 22 16 S, 166 27 E
- time difference:
- UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
3 provinces; Province Iles (Islands Province), Province Nord (North Province), and Province Sud (South Province)
Independence
- none (special collectivity of France);
- note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but was rejected;
- a new referendum must be held before 2019
National holiday
Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853)
Constitution
4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998) (2016)
Legal system
civil law system based on French law; the 1988 Matignon Accords (signed in the Matignon Hotel) set up a 10-year period of development during which the Kanak community received substantial autonomy but agreed not to raise the independence issue
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by High Commissioner Thierry LATASTE (since 20 June 2016)
- head of government:
- President of the Government (vacant); Vice President Jean-Louis D'ANGLEBERME (since 1 April 2015)
- cabinet:
- Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress
- elections/appointments:
- French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term);
- high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior;
- president of New Caledonia elected by Territorial Congress for a 5-year term (no term limits);
- election last held on 10 June 2011 (next to be held in June 2016)
- election results:
- Philippe GERMAINE (Caledonia Together) elected president by Territorial Congress; vote NA
Legislative branch
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du Territoire (54 seats; members indirectly selected proportionally by the partisan makeup of the 3 Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales; members of the 3 Provincial Assemblies directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms)
note: the Customary Senate is the assembly of the various traditional councils of the Kanaks, the indigenous population, which rules on laws affecting the indigenous population;
New Caledonia holds 2 seats in the French Senate; elections last held on 28 September 2014 (next to be held not later than September 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly;
elections last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CE 2
- elections:
- last held on 11 May 2014 (next to be held in May 2019);
- note - the government that was elected on 11 May 2014 collapsed within 6 months leading to a new election on 31 December 2014 which reelected the same government
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - N/A; seats by party - N/A
note: as of May 2014, seats by party - CE 13, FLNKS 9, UMP 7, Union for Caledonia in France 6, Build Our Rainbow Nation 6, UNI 6, other 7
Judicial branch
- highest resident court(s):
- Court of Appeal in Noumea or Cour d'Appel;
- organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers;
- court bench normally includes the court president and 2 counsilors);
- Administrative Court (number of judges NA);
- note - final appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation in Paris;
- final appeals beyond the Administrative Court are referred to the Administrative Court of Appeal (in Paris)
- judge selection and term of office:
- judge appointment and tenure based on France's judicial system
- subordinate courts:
- Courts of First Instance include: civil, juvenile, commercial, labor, police, criminal, assizes, and also a pre-trial investigation chamber;
- Joint Commerce Tribunal;
- administrative courts
Political parties and leaders
- Build Our Rainbow Nation
- Caledonia Together or CE [Philippe GERMAIN]
- Caledonian Union or UC [Daniel GOA]
- Future Together (l'Avenir Ensemble) [Harold MARTIN]
- Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (alliance includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM) [Roch WAMYTAN]
- Labor Party (Parti Travailliste) or PT [Louis Kotra UREGEI]
- National Union for Independence (Union Nationale pour l'Independance) or UNI
- Party of Kanak Liberation (Parti de Liberation Kanak) or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]
- Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]
- The Republicans (formerly The Rally or UMP) [Pierre FROGIER]
- Union for Caledonia in France
International organization participation
ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WMO
Flag description
- New Caledonia has two official flags;
- alongside the flag of France, the Kanak (indigenous Melanesian) flag has equal status;
- the latter consists of three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green;
- a large yellow disk - diameter two-thirds the height of the flag - shifted slightly to the hoist side is edged in black and displays a black fleche faitiere symbol, a native rooftop adornment
National symbol(s)
fleche faitiere (native rooftop adornment), kagu bird; national colors: blue, red, green, yellow, black
National anthem
- name:
- "Soyons unis, devenons freres" (Let Us Be United, Let Us Become Brothers)
- lyrics/music:
- Chorale Melodia (a local choir)
note: adopted 2008; contains a mixture of lyrics in both French and Nengone (an indigenous language); as a self-governing territory of France, in addition to the local anthem,
"La Marseillaise" is official (see France)
Economy
New Caledonia has 11% of the world's nickel reserves, representing the second largest reserves on the planet.
34 fieldsGDP - composition, by sector of origin(2016 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
By end use% of GDP
Economy - overview
New Caledonia has 11% of the world's nickel reserves, representing the second largest reserves on the planet. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy.
During 2009-10, France sent more development assistance to New Caledonia than to any of its other overseas territories. In October 2014, French Prime Minister Manuel VALLS confirmed financial support to New Caledonia totaling $500 million for the period 2016-20. The new government, which inherited a $112 million deficit in 2013, is expected to focus on bringing the territory’s budget back into balance.
With the gradual increase in the production of two new nickel plants in 2015, average production of metallurgical goods stood at a record level of 94 thousand tons. However, the sector is exposed to the high volatility of nickel prices. In April 2016, PM VALLS committed $180 million to support New Caledonia’s main nickel company, Societe Le Nickel.
Current account balance
$-1.469 billion (2014 est.); $-1.861 billion (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 141
Debt - external
$112 million (31 December 2013 est.) · $79 million (31 December 1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 193
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$16.43 billion (2015 est.) · $14.55 billion (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 83
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$658.2 million (2015 est.) · $593.8 million (2014 est.) country comparison to the world: 88
Exchange rates
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 110.2 (2016 est.) · 107.84 (2015 est.) · 89.85 (2013 est.) · 90.56 (2012 est.) · 85.74 (2011 est.)
Energy
24 fieldsElectrification% of population · (2012)
Installed generating capacity, 557,200 kW(2015 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy
2.5 million Mt (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Communications
6 fieldsPer 100 inhabitants(July 2016 est.)
Telephone system
- general assessment:
- a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, increased network capacity and improved high-speed connectivity and access to international networks
- domestic:
- combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 120 per 100 persons
- international:
- country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2015)
Broadcast media
- the publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts over the RFO Nouvelle Caledonie TV and radio stations;
- a small number of privately owned radio stations also broadcast (2008)
Transportation
8 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 2 (registered in France); inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 10 (registered in France) (2015)
Merchant marine
registered in other countries: 3 (France 3) (2010) country comparison to the world: 138
Military and Security
No regular military forces; French military, police, and gendarmerie (2012)
2 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 2017. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/new-caledonia/2017.