Airports [time series]

29 total, 27 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

1 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

6,340 km total; only about 10% paved (1987)

Ports [time series]

Noumea, Nepoui, Poro, Thio

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

32,578 telephones (1987); stations--5 AM, 3 FM, 7 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Gendarmerie, Police Force

Manpower availability [time series]

males 15-49, 46,388; NA fit for military service

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of France

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

large areas devoted to cattle grazing; coffee, corn, wheat, vegetables; 60% self-sufficient in beef

Budget [time series]

revenues $224.0 million; expenditures $211.0 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural--francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Economic aid [time series]

Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $3.9 billion

Electricity [time series]

400,000 kW capacity; 2,200 million kWh produced, 12,790 kWh per capita (1990)

Exchange rates [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1--93.28 (January 1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988), 109.27 (1987), 125.92 (1986), 163.35 (1985); note--linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Exports [time series]

$344 million (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--nickel metal 87%, nickel ore; partners--France 52.3%, Japan 15.8%, US 6.4%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$NA

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GNP [time series]

$973 million, per capita $5,790; real growth rate 2.4% (1990 est.)

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit cannabis cultivation is becoming a principal source of income for some families

Imports [time series]

$389 million (c.i.f., 1989); commodities--foods, fuels, minerals, machines, electrical equipment; partners--France 44.0%, US 10%, Australia 9%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

nickel mining

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

4.1% (1989)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

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.

Unemployment rate [time series]

16.0% (1989)

Climate [time series]

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Coastline [time series]

2,254 km Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

typhoons most frequent from November to March

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

arable land NEGL%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 14%; forest and woodland 51%; other 35%

Natural resources [time series]

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

Note [time series]

located 1,750 km east of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean

Terrain [time series]

coastal plains with interior mountains

Area (Total area) [time series]

19,060 km2; land area: 18,760 km2

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Noumea

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

number unknown; Palita extreme left party; some politically active Communists deported during 1950s; small number of North Vietnamese

Constitution [time series]

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

as an overseas territory of France, New Caledonian interests are represented in the US by France

Executive branch [time series]

high commissioner, Consultative Committee (cabinet)

Flag [time series]

the flag of France is used

Independence [time series]

none (overseas territory of France); note--a referendum on independence will be held in 1998, with a review of the issue in 1992

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); Head of Government High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Bernard GRASSET (since 15 July 1988) white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique (RPCR), conservative, Jacques LAFLEUR--affiliated to France's Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR); Melanesian proindependence Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), Paul NEAOUTYINE; Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation (LKS), Nidoish NAISSELINE; National Front (FN), extreme right, Guy GEORGE; Caledonie Demain (CD), right-wing, Bernard MARANT; Union Oceanienne (UO), conservative, Michel HEMA; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak (FULK), proindependence, Yann CELENE

Legal system [time series]

the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Territorial Assembly

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

FZ, SPC, WFTU, WMO

National holiday [time series]

Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Suffrage [time series]

universal adult at age 18 Territorial Assembly--last held 11 June 1989 (next to be held NA 1993); results--percent of vote by party--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--percent of vote by party--RPR 83.5%, FN 13.5%, other 3%; seats--(2 total) RPCR 2

Government type (Type) [time series]

overseas territory of France since 1956

Birth rate [time series]

23 births/1,000 population (1991)

Death rate [time series]

5 deaths/1,000 population (1991)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3.0%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

17 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Labor force [time series]

50,469; foreign workers for plantations and mines from Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, and French Polynesia (1980 est.)

Languages (Language) [time series]

French; 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

69 years male, 76 years female (1991)

Literacy [time series]

91% (male 91%, female 90%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976)

Nationality [time series]

noun--New Caledonian(s); adjective--New Caledonian

Net migration rate [time series]

1 migrant/1,000 population (1991)

Organized labor [time series]

NA

Population [time series]

171,559 (July 1991), growth rate 1.9% (1991)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.8 children born/woman (1991)