cyclones, most frequent from November to March
volcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active
Environment - current issues:
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
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
People ::New Caledonia
Population:
252,352 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 181
Age structure: