:New Caledonia Geography
Total area:
19,060 km2
Land area:
18,760 km2
Comparative area:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
none
Coastline:
2,254 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
Territorial sea:
12 nm
Disputes:
none
Climate:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Terrain:
coastal plains with interior mountains
Natural resources:
nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Land use:
arable land NEGL%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 14%; forest
and woodland 51%; other 35%
Environment:
typhoons most frequent from November to March
Note:
located 1,750 km east of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean
:New Caledonia People
Population:
174,805 (July 1992), growth rate 1.9% (1992)
Birth rate:
23 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
17 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
70 years male, 76 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
2.7 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - New Caledonian(s); adjective - New Caledonian
Ethnic divisions:
Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%,
Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3.0%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Languages:
French; 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Literacy:
91% (male 91%, female 90%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976)
Labor force:
50,469; foreign workers for plantations and mines from Wallis and Futuna,
Vanuatu, and French Polynesia (1980 est.)
Organized labor:
NA
:New Caledonia Government
Long-form name:
Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
Type:
overseas territory of France since 1956
Capital:
Noumea
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
Independence:
none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence
will be held in 1998, with a review of the issue in 1992
Constitution:
28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands;
formerly under French law
National holiday:
Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Executive branch:
French President, high commissioner, Consultative Committee (cabinet)
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Assembly
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
Head of Government:
High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Alain
CHRISTNACHT (since 15 January 1991)
Suffrage:
universal adult at age 18
Elections:
Territorial Assembly:
last held 11 June 1989 (next to be held 1993); results - RPCR 44.5%, FLNKS
28.5%, FN 7%, CD 5%, UO 4%, other 11%; seats - (54 total) RPCR 27, FLNKS 19,
FN 3, other 5; note - election boycotted by FULK
French Senate:
last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) RPCR 1
French National Assembly:
last held 5 and 12 June 1988 (next to be held June 1993); results - RPR
83.5%, FN 13.5%, other 3%; seats - (2 total) RPCR 2
Member of:
FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO
Diplomatic representation:
as an overseas territory of France, New Caledonian interests are represented
in the US by France
Flag:
the flag of France is used
:New Caledonia Economy
Overview:
New Caledonia has more than 25% 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 25% of imports.
GNP:
exchange rate conversion - $1.0 billion, per capita $6,000 (1991 est.); real
growth rate 2.4% (1988)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (1989)
Unemployment rate:
16.0% (1989)
Budget:
revenues $224.0 million; expenditures $211.0 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (1985)
Exports:
$671 million (f.o.b., 1989)
commodities:
nickel metal 87%, nickel ore
partners:
France 52.3%, Japan 15.8%, US 6.4%
Imports:
$764 million (c.i.f., 1989)
commodities:
foods, fuels, minerals, machines, electrical equipment
partners:
France 44.0%, US 10%, Australia 9%
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
400,000 kW capacity; 2,200 million kWh produced, 12,790 kWh per capita
(1990)
Industries:
nickel mining
Agriculture:
large areas devoted to cattle grazing; coffee, corn, wheat, vegetables; 60%
self-sufficient in beef
Illicit drugs:
illicit cannabis cultivation is becoming a principal source of income for
some families
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$4,185 million
Currency:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural - francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF)
= 100 centimes
Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais duPacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 97.81 (January
1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988), 109.27
(1987); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Fiscal year:
calendar year
:New Caledonia Communications
Highways:
6,340 km total; only about 10% paved (1987)
Ports:
Noumea, Nepoui, Poro, Thio
Civil air:
1 major transport aircraft
Airports:
29 total, 27 usable; 1 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways
over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
32,578 telephones (1987); broadcast stations - 5 AM, 3 FM, 7 TV; 1 Pacific
Ocean INTELSAT earth station