New Caledonia Population: 264,022
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| 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 a referendum between 2014 and 2018 to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence. |
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| Geography | |
| 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 | |
| Location: | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia |
| Geographic coordinates: | 21 30 S, 165 30 E |
| Area: | total: 18,575 sq km land: 18,275 sq km water: 300 sq km Size comparison: slightly smaller than New Jersey |
| Land Boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 2,254 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
| Climate: | tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid |
| Terrain: | coastal plains with interior mountains |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m |
| Natural resources: | nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper |
| Land use: | arable land: 0.32% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 100 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | cyclones, most frequent from November to March volcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active |
| Current Environment Issues: | erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires |
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| People | |
| Population: | 264,022 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 24% (male 32,390/female 30,996) 15-24 years: 17.1% (male 23,000/female 22,060) 25-54 years: 42.6% (male 56,533/female 55,907) 55-64 years: 8.1% (male 10,526/female 10,842) 65 years and over: 8.2% (male 9,732/female 12,036) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 30.4 years male: 29.8 years female: 31 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.489% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 16.05 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 5.34 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 4.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2012 est.) |
| 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: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.56 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 76.94 years male: 72.88 years female: 81.2 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.02 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian |
| 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) |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% |
| Languages: | French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.2% male: 96.8% female: 95.5% (1996 census) |
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| Government | |
| 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 |
| Government type: | parliamentary representative democracy |
| 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: | 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 |
| Independence: | none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled to take place between 2014 and 2018 |
| National holiday: | Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1789); note - the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853) |
| Constitution: | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
| Legal system: | civil law system based on French law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Francois HOLLANDE (since 15 May 2012); represented by High Commissioner Jean-Jacques BROT (since 2 February 2013); note - he was nominated on 23 January 2013 head of government: President of the Government Harold MARTIN (since 3 March 2011); note - since 3 March 2011, three different governments of Harold MARTIN have collapsed over the choice of a flag that will be used while it is being decolonized; President MARTIN is head of a caretaker government cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) 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 on 10 June 2011 (next to be held June 2016) |
| Legislative branch: | 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) elections: last held on 9 May 2009 (next to be held on 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: 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 two seats in the French Senate; elections last held on 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 on 17 June 2012 (next to be held by June 2017); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2 |
| Judicial branch: | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court |
| Political parties and leaders: | Caledonia Together [Philippe GOMES]; Caledonian Union or UC [Daniel GOA]; Front National or FN [Marine LE PEN]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Labor Party [Louis Kotra UREGEI]; National Union for Independence (Union Nationale pour l'Independance) or UNI; Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Socialist Group [Jean Pierre BEL]; Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; The Rally or UMP [Pierre GROGIER]; Union of Pro-Independence Co-operation Committees [Francois BURCK] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | none (overseas territory of France) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | none (overseas territory of France) |
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| Economy | |
| 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; during 2009-10, France sent more development assistance to New Caledonia than to any of its other overseas territories. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $9.28 billion (2008 est.) $3.158 billion (2003 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $9.28 billion (2008 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 0.6% (2008 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $37,700 (2008 est.) $15,000 (2003 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 2.1% industry: 28.3% services: 69.6% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 106,400 (2010) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (2002) |
| Unemployment rate: | 17.1% (2004) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2012 est.) 2.4% (2011 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $996 million expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish |
| Industries: | nickel mining and smelting |
| Industrial production growth rate: | |
| Electricity - production: | 1.675 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 138 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 1.558 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Exports: | $969.4 million (2009 est.) $1.272 billion (2010 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | ferronickels, nickel ore, fish |
| Exports - partners: | Japan 19.5%, France 18.4%, Australia 12.9%, South Korea 10.5%, Belgium 5.1%, US 4.8%, China 4.3%, Spain 4.1% (2011) |
| Imports: | $3.313 billion (2010 est.) $3.313 billion (2010 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners: | France 33.8%, Singapore 19.2%, Australia 11.9%, NZ 4.7%, China 4.4% (2011) |
| Debt - external: | $79 million (1998 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $NA |
| Exchange rates: | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 85.85 (2011 est.) 90.01 (2010 est.) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 76,200 (2011) country comparison to the world: 152 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 227,300 (2011) |
| 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-line and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2010) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .nc |
| Internet hosts: | 34,231 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 85,000 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 25 (2012) country comparison to the world: 128 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 12 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 8 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 8 (2012) |
| Roadways: | total: 5,622 km (2006) |
| Merchant marine: | registered in other countries: 3 (France 3) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Noumea |
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| Military | |
| Defense is the responsibility of France | |
| Military branches: | no regular military forces; French military, police, and gendarmerie (2012) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 68,219 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 56,233 females age 16-49: 55,983 (2010 est.) |
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