New Caledonia

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2000)

Internet country code

.nc

Internet users

5,000 (2000)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

107,000 (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

47,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular

13,040 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

52,000 (1997)

Agriculture - products

vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

Budget

revenues: $861.3 million expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)

Currency

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code

XPF

Debt - external

$79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$880 million annual subsidy from France

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.

Electricity - consumption

1.414 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - production

1.52 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 78.95% hydro: 21.05% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

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

Exports

$411 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Exports - commodities

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners

Japan 27%, France 17%, Taiwan 12%, South Korea 9% (1999)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $3 billion (1998 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 4% industry: 30% services: 66% (1997 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $15,000 (1998 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$843 million (f.o.b., 1999)

Imports - commodities

transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice

Imports - partners

France 49%, Australia 14%, Singapore 6%, New Zealand 5%, US 5% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate

-0.6% (1996)

Industries

nickel mining and smelting

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.5% (1998 est.)

Labor force

79,395 (including 15, 018 unemployed, 1996)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

19% (1996)

Area

total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Coastline

2,254 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Environment - current issues

erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geographic coordinates

21 30 S, 165 30 E

Irrigated land

160 sq km (1991)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

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

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards

cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Natural resources

nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Terrain

coastal plains with interior mountains

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

Capital

Noumea

Constitution

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

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

Dependency status

overseas territory of France since 1956

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of France)

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

Flag description

the flag of France is used

Government type

NA

Independence

none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

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

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

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

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.

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Military branches

French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$192.3 million (1996)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

5.3% (1996)

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.)

Birth rate

20.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate

5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Ethnic groups

Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Languages

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

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.)

Nationality

noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Population

204,863 (July 2001 est.)

Population growth rate

1.48% (2001 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

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.)

Total fertility rate

2.48 children born/woman (2001 est.)

Disputes - international

Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

Airports

29 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 11 (2000 est.)

Heliports

6 (2000 est.)

Highways

total: 4,825 km paved: 2,287 km unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)

Merchant marine

total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.)

Ports and harbors

Mueo, Noumea, Thio

Railways

0 km

Waterways

none