New Caledonia

Internet country code

.nc

Internet hosts

22,448 (2009) country comparison to the world: 101

Internet users

85,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 159

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, is expected to significantly increase network capacity and improve high-speed connectivity and access to international networks domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)

Telephones - main lines in use

63,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 157

Telephones - mobile cellular

196,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 172

Television broadcast stations

6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)

Agriculture - products

vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish

Budget

revenues: $996 million expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)

Debt - external

$79 million (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Economy - overview

New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. 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. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years.

Electricity - consumption

1.697 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

1.825 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136

Exchange rates

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)

Exports

$1.341 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 145

Exports - commodities

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners

France 18.9%, Japan 18.3%, Spain 7.3%, China 6.5%, Belgium 5.4%, Australia 4.6% (2008)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.3 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.158 billion (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 15% industry: 8.8% services: 76.2% (2003)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$15,000 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 76

GDP - real growth rate

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$1.998 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 149

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

France 36.6%, Singapore 17.7%, Australia 11.5%, NZ 4.7% (2008)

Industries

nickel mining and smelting

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.4% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 11

Labor force

102,600 (2007) country comparison to the world: 176

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2002)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 146

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156

Oil - consumption

13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142

Oil - exports

645.3 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123

Oil - imports

14,430 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

17.1% (2004) country comparison to the world: 159

Area

total: 18,575 sq km country comparison to the world: 155 land: 18,275 sq km water: 300 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

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

Irrigated land

100 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 0.32% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Oceania

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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 Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province Sud

Capital

name: Noumea geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

4 October 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

territorial collectivity of France since 1998

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 Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since 9 November 2007) head of government: President of the Government Philippe GOMES (since 5 June 2009) cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress 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 for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August 2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

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; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014

International organization participation

ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands

Legislative branch

elections: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) last held 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 10 May 2014) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13, Caledonia Together 10, UC 8, UNI 8, AE 6, FLNKS 3, Labor Party 3, other 3 note: New Caledonia holds two seats in the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held not later than September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2

National holiday

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Political parties and leaders

Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonia Together [Philippe GOMES]; Caledonian Union or UC [Charles PIDJOT]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Labor Party or PT [Louis Kora UREGEI]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Rally for Caledonia or RPC [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Didier LEROUX]; The Rally or UMP [Pierre FROGIER]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]

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 ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 57,738 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 48,288 females age 16-49: 48,959 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 2,160 female: 2,087 (2009 est.)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France

Military branches

no regular military forces; French police and gendarmerie (2009)

Military expenditures

NA

Age structure

0-14 years: 26.8% (male 31,191/female 29,870) 15-64 years: 65.8% (male 75,189/female 74,552) 65 years and over: 7.3% (male 7,681/female 8,953) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

17.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121

Death rate

5.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Ethnic groups

Melanesian 44.1%, European 34.1%, Wallisian & Futunian 9%, Tahitian 2.6%, Indonesian 2.5%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 5.2% (1996 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 168 male: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.98 years country comparison to the world: 85 male: 71.99 years female: 78.12 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male: 96.8% female: 95.5% (1996 census)

Median age

total: 28.7 years male: 28.2 years female: 29.2 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian

Net migration rate

NA note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2009 est.)

Population

227,436 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181

Population growth rate

1.136% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118

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: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.18 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Urbanization

urban population: 65% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Disputes - international

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

Airports

25 (2009) country comparison to the world: 130

Airports - with paved runways

total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2009)

Heliports

8 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 2 country comparison to the world: 146 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2008)

Ports and terminals

Noumea

Roadways

total: 5,622 km (2006) country comparison to the world: 151