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Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture-products) [time series]

vegetables; beef, other livestock products

Budget [time series]

revenues: $755.6 million expenditures: $755.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes

Debt - external (Debt-external) [time series]

$NA

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: ODA, $NA note: important support from France

Economic overview (Economy-overview) [time series]

New Caledonia has more than 20% 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. In addition to nickel, financial support from France and tourism are key to the health of the economy. The outlook for 1998 is clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower expected prices for nickel.

Electricity - capacity (Electricity-capacity) [time series]

253,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita (Electricity-consumption per capita) [time series]

6,204 kWh (1995)

Electricity - production (Electricity-production) [time series]

1.145 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1-110.60 (January 1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.93 (1994), 102.96 (1993); note-linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc

Exports [time series]

total value: $500 million (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: ferronickels, nickel ore partners: Japan 31%, France 29%, US 12%, Australia 7%, Taiwan 6% (1996 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year Communications

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$1.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP-composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 5% industry: 35% services: 60% (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP-per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity-$8,000 (1995 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP-real growth rate) [time series]

NA%

Imports [time series]

total value: $930 million (c.i.f., 1996) commodities: foods, transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals partners: France 45%, Australia 18%, Singapore 7%, New Zealand 6%, Japan 4% (1996 est.)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

nickel mining and smelting

Inflation rate (consumer prices) (Inflation rate-consumer price index) [time series]

1.7% (1996 est.)

Labor force [time series]

total: 70,044 (1988) by occupation: agriculture 32%, industry 20%, services 40%, mining 8% (1992)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

97,000 (1992 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: NA international: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

38,748 (1993 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

Televisions [time series]

47,000 (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

15% (1994)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km

Area - comparative (Area-comparative) [time series]

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Climate [time series]

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Coastline [time series]

2,254 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Environment - current issues (Environment-current issues) [time series]

International environmental agreements (Environment-international agreements) [time series]

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates [time series]

21 30 S, 165 30 E

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 12% forests and woodland: 39% other: 49% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

typhoons most frequent from November to March

Natural resources [time series]

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

Terrain [time series]

coastal plains with interior mountains

Government

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

Constitution [time series]

28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

Data code [time series]

Dependency status [time series]

overseas territory of France since 1956

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (overseas territory of France)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Dominque BUR (since NA August 1995) head of government: President of the Territorial Congress Pierre FROGIER (since 31 July 1995) cabinet: Consultative Committee elections: high commissioner appointed by the president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Congress elected by the members of the congress

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

three horizontal bands, blue (top), red, and green, with a yellow disk enclosing a black symbol centered to the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Government type [time series]

Independence [time series]

none (overseas territory of France; a referendum on independence will be held in 1998)

International organization participation [time series]

ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 9 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 2001) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-RPR 22, FLNKS 12, UNCT 9, UNI 5, DEPCA 2, FN 2, RCF 2, and other 2 note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-RPR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party - RPR 2

Capital (National capital) [time series]

Noumea

National holiday [time series]

National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Progressive Melansian Union or UPM [Edmond NEKIRIAI]; Melanesian proindependence Kanaka Socialist National Liberation Front or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN]; Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]; National Front or FN (extreme right) [Guy GEORGE]; Socialist Party of Kanaky or PSK [Jacques VIOLETTE]; Union Oceanienne or UO (conservative) [Michel HEMA]; Front de Developpement des Iles Loyautes or FDIL [Cono HAMU]; Union Caledonian or UC [Bernard LEPEU, president]; A New Caledonia for All or UNCT [Didier LEROUX]; Kanaque Liberation Party or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; New Caledonia National Party [Georges CHATENEY]; Oceanic Democratic Rally or RDO [Alois SAKO]; Kanaque Federal Party of OPAO [Gabrielle PAITA and Auguste SIAPO]; Caledonian Generation [Jean-Raymond POSTIC]; Union des Synicates de Travailleurs Kanaks Exploites or USTKE [Louis Kotra UREGEY]; Federation for a New Caledonian Society or FNSC [Jean-Pierre AIFA]; Union to Construct Independence [Frances POADOUY]; Movement for France or MPF [Claude SARAAN]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR is a coalition of 5 parties: Union for the Rebirth of Caledonia [Jean-Louis MIR]; Christian Social Democrats-All Ethnic Group Accord [Raymond MURA]; Rally for Caledonia [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Rally of the Republic [Dick UKEIWE]; Liberal Caledonian Movement [Jean LEQUES]; Union Nationale pour l'Indepedance or UNI; Developper Ensemble pour construire l'Avenir or DEPCA; Rassemblement pour une Caledonie dans la France or RCF

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure (Military expenditures-dollar figure) [time series]

$NA

Military expenditures (Military expenditures-percent of GDP) [time series]

NA%

Military - note (Military-note) [time series]

defense is the responsibility of France

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 30% (male 29,423; female 28,320) 15-64 years: 65% (male 63,444; female 62,055) 65 years and over: 5% (male 5,202; female 5,753) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

21.08 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.84 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

12.71 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages [time series]

French, 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.01 years male: 71.75 years female: 78.44 years (1998 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92% female: 90% (1976 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian

Net migration rate [time series]

0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population [time series]

194,197 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.64% (1998 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.46 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international (Disputes-international) [time series]

Matthew and Hunter Islands claimed by France and Vanuatu NEW ZEALAND

Transportation

Airports [time series]

30 (1997 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports-with paved runways) [time series]

total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways (Airports-with unpaved runways) [time series]

total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 12 (1997 est.)

Heliports [time series]

7 (1997 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 5,562 km paved: 975 km unpaved: 4,587 km (1993)

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Mueo, Noumea, Thio

Railways [time series]

0 km