New Caledonia

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Congress); an overseas collectivity of France

name: Noumea geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: established in 1854 as Port-de-France, the settlement was renamed Noumea in 1866 to avoid confusion with Fort-de-France in Martinique; the name Noumea may come from the local name of the peninsula the city was founded on

chief of state: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by High Commissioner Jacques BILLANT (since 3 May 2025) head of government: President of the Government Alcide PONGA (since 8 January 2025) cabinet: Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress election/appointment process: French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of New Caledonia elected by Territorial Congress for a 5-year term (no term limits) most recent election date: 8 July 2021 election results: 2025: Alcide PONGA (The Republicans) elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 of 11 votes 2021: Louis MAPOU (PALIKA) elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 of 11 votes expected date of next election: 2026

legislature name: Territorial Congress (Congr s du Territoire) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 54 (indirectly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 5/12/2019 parties elected and seats per party: Future With Confidence 18, UNI 9, UC 9, CE 7, FLNKS 6, Oceanic Awakening 3, PT 1, LKS 1 (Anti-Independence 28, Pro-Independence 26) expected date of next election: December 2025 note 1: the Customary Senate is the assembly of the various traditional councils of the Kanaks, the indigenous population; it rules on laws affecting Kanaks note 2: New Caledonia indirectly elects 2 members to the French Senate and directly elects 2 members to the French National Assembly (see France entry for electoral details)

highest court(s): Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; court bench normally includes the court president and 2 counselors); Administrative Court (number of judges NA) judge selection and term of office: judge appointment and tenure based on France's judicial system subordinate courts: Courts of First Instance include: civil, juvenile, commercial, labor, police, criminal, assizes, and also a pre-trial investigation chamber; Joint Commerce Tribunal; administrative courts note: final appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (in Paris); final appeals beyond the Administrative Court are referred to the Administrative Court of Appeal (in Paris)

history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in the Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998) amendment process: French constitution amendment procedures apply

ITUC (NGOs), PIF, SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WMO

no regular military forces; Territorial Directorate of the National Police of New Caledonia (DTPN), Gendarmerie of New Caledonia (2025)

defense is the responsibility of France, which bases land, air, and naval forces on New Caledonia (Forces Arm es de la Nouvelle-Cal donie, FANC)

$8.469 billion (2024 est.) $8.642 billion (2023 est.) $8.678 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars

$34,600 (2024 est.) $35,000 (2023 est.) $33,500 (2022 est.) note: data in 2015 dollars

3.5% (2022 est.) -2.1% (2021 est.) -2.4% (2020 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

3.7% (2022 est.) 0.6% (2021 est.) -0.5% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

6.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

$1.92 billion (2021 est.) $1.8 billion (2020 est.) $1.79 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

$2.26 billion (2021 est.) $2.1 billion (2020 est.) $2.48 billion (2019 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

11.2% (2024 est.) 11% (2023 est.) 10.8% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

revenues: $1.995 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $1.993 billion (2015 est.)

nickel mining and smelting

coconuts, vegetables, fruits, pork, beef, maize, eggs, bananas, yams, oranges (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

total: 307,612 (2025 est.) male: 153,036 female: 154,576

1.11% (2025 est.)

0-14 years: 20.7% (male 32,238/female 30,858) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 104,825/female 103,349) 65 years and over: 10.8% (2024 est.) (male 14,326/female 18,571)

13.6 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

total population: 79.3 years (2024 est.) male: 75.4 years female: 83.3 years

urban population: 72.7% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Kanak 39.1%, European 27.1%, Wallisian, Futunian 8.2%, Tahitian 2.1%, Indonesian 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1%, Vietnamese 0.9%, other 17.7%, unspecified 2.5% (2014 est.)

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects major-language sample(s): The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Christian 85.2%, Muslim 2.8%, other 1.6%, unaffiliated 10.4% (2020 est.)

nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

21 (2025)

total: 23 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 17

total subscriptions: 263,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2022 est.)

percent of population: 82% (2017 est.)