2019 Edition

CIA World Factbook 2019 Archive (Wayback Machine)

1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025

Countries

267

Data Records

66,981

New Caledonia

2019 Edition · 239 data fields

View Current Profile

Introduction

Background

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 two decades transferred an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. In a referendum held in November 2018, residents rejected independence and decided to retain their territorial status, although two additional referendums may occur in 2020 and 2022, per the Noumea Accord.

Geography

Area

Land: 18,275 sq km
Total: 18,575 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

Highest Point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
Lowest Point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Environment Current Issues

preservation of coral reefs; prevention of invasive species; limiting erosion caused by nickel mining 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 (2012)

Land Boundaries

0 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land: 10.4% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Arable Land: 0.4% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Permanent Crops: 0.2% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture: 9.8% (2011 est.)
Forest: 45.9% (2011 est.)
Other: 43.7% (2011 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 Marchvolcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea

Terrain

coastal plains with interior mountains

People and Society

Age Structure

0 14 Years: 22.19% (male 32,057 /female 30,675)
15 24 Years: 16.16% (male 23,355 /female 22,349)
25 54 Years: 43.66% (male 62,227 /female 61,215)
55 64 Years: 8.57% (male 11,713 /female 12,530)
65 Years And Over: 9.42% (male 11,790 /female 14,843) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

14.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Death Rate

5.7 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio: 14.4 (2015 est.)
Potential Support Ratio: 6.9 (2015 est.)
Total Dependency Ratio: 48.3 (2015 est.)
Youth Dependency Ratio: 33.9 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural: 98.5% of population
Improved Total: 98.5% of population
Improved Urban: 98.5% of population
Unimproved Rural: 1.5% of population
Unimproved Total: 1.5% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Urban: 1.5% of population

Ethnic Groups

Kanak 39.1%, European 27.1%, Wallisian, Futunian 8.2%, Tahitian 2.1%, Indonesian 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1%, Vietnamese 0.9%, other 17.7%, unspecified 2.5% (2014 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female: 4.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 6.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 5.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female: 82.2 years
Male: 74.1 years
Total Population: 78 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Female: 96.5% (2015)
Male: 97.3%
Total Population: 96.9%

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

Major Urban Areas Population

198,000 NOUMEA (capital) (2018)

Median Age

Female: 33 years
Male: 31.5 years
Total: 32.3 years (2018 est.)

Nationality

Adjective: New Caledonian
Noun: New Caledonian(s)

Net Migration Rate

3.9 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Physicians Density

2.22 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

282,754 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.3% (2018 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural: 100% of population (2015 est.)
Improved Total: 100% of population (2015 est.)
Improved Urban: 100% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Rural: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Urban: 0% of population (2015 est.)

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15 24 Years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25 54 Years: 1.02 male(s)/female
55 64 Years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 Years And Over: 0.79 male(s)/female
At Birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Total Population: 1 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.92 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female: 40% (2014 est.)
Male: 37.1%
Total: 38.4%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization: 1.89% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Urban Population: 71.1% of total population (2019)

Government

Administrative Divisions

3 provinces; Province Iles (Islands Province), Province Nord (North Province), and Province Sud (South Province)

Capital

Geographic Coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E
Name: Noumea
Time Difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see France

Constitution

Amendments: French constitution amendment procedures apply
History: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in the Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998)

Country Name

Conventional Long Form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
Conventional Short Form: New Caledonia
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)
Local Long Form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
Local Short Form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

Dependency Status

special collectivity (or a sui generis collectivity) of France since 1998; note - an independence referendum took place on 4 November 2018 with a majority voting to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo; two additional referenda, still unsceheduled, may occur in 2020 and 2022

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

none (overseas territory of France)

Executive Branch

Cabinet: Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress
Chief Of State: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by High Commissioner Laurent PREVOST (since 5 August 2019)
Election Results: Thierry SANTA elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 votes out of 11
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 13 June 2017 (next to be held in 2022)
Head Of Government: President of the Government Thierry SANTA (since 9 July 2019); Temporary Vice President Gilbert TUIENON (since 9 July 2019); note - Temporary Vice President Gilbert TUIENON was elected so that the new government could take over; Philippe GERMAIN' s government remained caretaker government until the new government was settled

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

Government Type

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Congress); an overseas collectivity of France

Independence

none (overseas collectivity of France); note - in an independence referendum on 4 November 2018, the majority voted to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo

International Organization Participation

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

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts: 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 counselors); 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

Legal System

civil law system based on French civil law

Legislative Branch

Description: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congrès du Territoire (54 seats; members indirectly selected proportionally by the partisan makeup of the 3 Provincial Assemblies or Assemblés 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 indirectly elects 2 members to the French Senate by an electoral colleges for a 6-year term with one seat renewed every 3 years and directly elects 2 members to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term
Election Results: Territorial Congress - percent of vote by party - N/A; seats by party -Future With Confidence 18, UNI 9, UC 9, CE 7, FLNKS 6, Oceanic Awakening 3, PT 1, LKS 1 (Anti-Independence 28, Pro-Independence 26); composition - men 30, women 24, percent of women 44.4% French Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2 French National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CE 2
Elections: Territorial Congress - last held on 12 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024) French Senate - election last held on 24 September 2017 (next to be held not later than 2019) French National Assembly - election last held on 11 and 18 June 2017 (next to be held by June 2022)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music: Chorale Melodia (a local choir)
Name: "Soyons unis, devenons freres" (Let Us Be United, Let Us Become Brothers)

National Holiday

Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note - the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853)

National Symbol S

fleche faitiere (native rooftop adornment), kagu bird; national colors: gray, red

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) [Victor TUTUGORO] 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) [interim leader Thierry SANTA] Union for Caledonia in France

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Economy

Agriculture Products

vegetables; beef, venison, other livestock products; fish

Budget

Expenditures: 1.993 billion (2015 est.)
Revenues: 1.995 billion (2015 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

0% (of GDP) (2015 est.)

Current Account Balance

2013: -$1.861 billion
2014: -$1.469 billion

Debt External

31 December 2013: $112 million

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.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, which have been in decline since 2016. In 2017, one of the three major mining firms on the island, Vale, put its operations up for sale, triggering concerns of layoffs ahead of the 2018 independence referendum.

Exchange Rates

2012: 90.56
2013: 89.85
2015: 107.84
2016: 107.84
2017: 110.2
Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -

Exports

2014: $2.207 billion

Exports Commodities

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports Partners

China 25.4%, Japan 16.6%, South Korea 14.8%, France 8.2%, Belgium 5%, US 4.6% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services: 18.7% (2017 est.)
Government Consumption: 24% (2017 est.)
Household Consumption: 64.3% (2017 est.)
Imports Of Goods And Services: -45.5% (2017 est.)
Investment In Fixed Capital: 38.4% (2017 est.)
Investment In Inventories: 0% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture: 1.4% (2017 est.)
Industry: 26.4% (2017 est.)
Services: 72.1% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$9.77 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2012: $29,800
2014: $32,100
2015: $31,100

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015: $10.77 billion
2016: $10.89 billion
2017: $11.11 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015: 3.2%
2016: 1.1%
2017: 2%

Imports

2014: $4.4 billion
2015: $2.715 billion

Imports Commodities

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports Partners

France 24.2%, Singapore 13.1%, China 9.2%, Australia 7.1%, South Korea 5.2%, Malaysia 4.7%, NZ 4.4%, US 4.4% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

3.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

nickel mining and smelting

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016: 0.6%
2017: 1.4%

Labor Force

119,500 (2016 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture: 2.7%
Industry: 22.4%
Services: 74.9% (2010)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

Population Below Poverty Line

17% (2008)

Public Debt

2014: 6.5% of GDP
2015: 6.5% of GDP

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

2014: $593.8 million
2015: $658.2 million

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

2014: $14.55 billion
2015: $16.43 billion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

2015: $9.522 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

20.4% (of GDP) (2015 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2009: 14%
2014: 14.7%

Broadcast Media

the publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts over the RFO Nouvelle-Calédonie TV and radio stations; a small number of privately owned radio stations also broadcast

Internet Country Code

.nc

Internet Users

Percent Of Population: 74% (July 2016 est.)
Total: 201,000

Telephone System

Domestic: fixed-line 34 per 100 and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership 91 per 100 persons (2018)
General Assessment: well advanced telecoms sector; 4G network services (2018)
International: country code - 687; landing points for the Gondwana-1 and Picot-1 providing connectivity via submarine cables around New Caledonia and to Australia; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2019)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 34 (July 2016 est.)
Total Subscriptions: 92,000

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 91 (July 2016 est.)
Total Subscriptions: 246,000

Transportation

Airports

25 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

914 To 1 523 M: 10 (2017)
Over 3 047 M: 1 (2017)
Total: 12 (2017)
Under 914 M: 1 (2017)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

914 To 1 523 M: 5 (2013)
Total: 13 (2013)
Under 914 M: 8 (2013)

Heliports

8 (2013)

Merchant Marine

By Type: general cargo 2, other 8 (2018)
Total: 10

National Air Transport System

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers: 10 (registered in France) (2015)
Number Of Registered Air Carriers: 2 (registered in France) (2015)

Ports And Terminals

Noumea

Roadways

5,622 km (2006)

Military and Security

Military And Security Forces

no regular military forces; France bases land, air, and naval forces on New Caledonia (Forces Armées de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, FANC) (2019)