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.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $1 billion (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate: 2.4% (1988)
National product per capita: $6,000 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.4% (1990)
Unemployment rate: 16% (1989)
Budget:
revenues: $224 million
expenditures: $211 million, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1985 est.)
Exports: $671 million (f.o.b., 1989)
commodities: nickel metal 87%, nickel ore
partners: France 32%, Japan 23.5%, US 3.6%
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