Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

1 (2000)

Internet country code [time series]

.nc

Internet users [time series]

24,000 (2001)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

107,000 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

47,000 (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

13,040 (1998)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)

Televisions [time series]

52,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

Budget [time series]

revenues: $861.3 million expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003

Exchange rates (Currency code) [time series]

XPF

Debt - external [time series]

$79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$880 million annual subsidy from France

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

New Caledonia has about 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 small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. Strikes in the building industry in 2001, which lasted four months, adversely affected many other sectors of the economy. French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are being transferred to local ownership.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

1.455 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production [time series]

1.565 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 78% hydro: 22% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro

Exports [time series]

$400 million f.o.b. (2000)

Exports - commodities [time series]

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 25.8%, France 18.8%, Taiwan 12%, Australia 8.2%, US 3.0% (1999)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.)

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

agriculture: 5% industry: 30% services: 65% (1997 est.)

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

purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.)

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

2.1% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$1 billion f.o.b. (2000)

Imports - commodities [time series]

transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice

Imports - partners [time series]

France 50.2%, Australia 15.1%, Singapore 5.9%, New Zealand 5.2%, Japan 3.7% (1999)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-0.6% (1996)

Industries [time series]

nickel mining and smelting

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.3% (2000 est.)

Labor force [time series]

79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

19% (1996)

Area [time series]

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

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 [time series]

erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geographic coordinates [time series]

21 30 S, 165 30 E

Geography - note [time series]

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

Irrigated land [time series]

160 sq km (1991)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 0.38% permanent crops: 0.33% other: 99.29% (1998 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]

cyclones, 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

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

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 short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances

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 Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3 July 2002) elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note - last election held 28 November 2002 when Pierre FROGIER was reelected head of government: President of the Government Pierre FROGIER (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Consultative Committee

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

the flag of France is used

Government type [time series]

NA

Independence [time series]

none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014

International organization participation [time series]

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

Judicial branch [time series]

Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court

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 five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1 note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA

National holiday [time series]

Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

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

Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Raphael MAPOU]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]

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

NA

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated.

Military - note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of France

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

no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$192.3 million (FY96)

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

5.3% (FY96)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 30% (male 31,862; female 30,577) 15-64 years: 64.1% (male 67,043; female 66,102) 65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,777; female 6,497) (2002 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

19.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 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%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

NA

Infant mortality rate [time series]

8.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.27 years female: 76.36 years (2002 est.) male: 70.32 years

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 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population [time series]

207,858 (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.43% (2002 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: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.44 children born/woman (2002 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

Airports [time series]

29 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 21 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 9 (2002)

Heliports [time series]

5 (2002)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 4,825 km paved: 2,287 km unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Malaysia 1 (2002 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Mueo, Noumea, Thio

Railways [time series]

0 km (2002)

Waterways [time series]

none