New Caledonia and Dependencies

Map of New Caledonia and Dependencies

Status: Overseas Territory

President: Philippe Gomes (2009)

High Commissioner: Yves Dassonville (2007)

Land area: 7,243 sq mi (18,759 sq km); total area: 7,359 sq mi (19,060 sq km)

Population (2008 est.): 224,585 (growth rate: 1.1%); birth rate: 17.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 7.2/1000; life expectancy: 74.7; density per sq mi: 12

Capital (2003 est.): Nouméa, 134,500 (metro. area), 86,400 (city proper)

Monetary unit: Pacific financial community franc

Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian and Polynesian dialects

Ethnicity/race: Kanak (Melanesian) 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%

National Holiday: Bastille Day, July 14

Literacy rate: 91% (1976 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2003 est.): $3.158 billion; per capita $15,000 (2002 est.). Real growth rate: n.a. Inflation: –0.6% (2000 est.). Unemployment: 19% (1996). Arable land: 0.4%. Agriculture: vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish. Labor force: 79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996); agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.). Industries: nickel mining and smelting. Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper. Exports: $999 million f.o.b. (2004 est.): ferronickels, nickel ore, fish. Imports: $1.636 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.): machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs. Major trading partners: Japan, France, Taiwan, South Korea, Spain, Australia, China, South Africa, Singapore, New Zealand (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 52,000 (2002); mobile cellular: 80,000 (2002). Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998). Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997). Internet hosts: 4,449 (2003. Internet users: 60,000 (2003).

Transportation: Railways: 0 km (2002). Highways: total: 5,432 km (2000). Ports and harbors: Noumea. Airports: 25 (2004 est.).

International disputes: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu.

Major sources and definitions