Internet country code [time series]

.nc

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

13,962 (2006)

Internet users [time series]

76,000 (2005)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)

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

55,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

134,300 (2005)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

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

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $856.3 million expenditures: $836.5 million (1996 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Debt - external [time series]

$79 million (1998 est.)

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

$525 million annual subsidy from France (2004)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than one-fourth of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

1.47 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - production [time series]

1.581 billion kWh (2003)

Exchange rates [time series]

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002), 133.26 (2001)

Exports [time series]

$999 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 21.4%, France 16%, Taiwan 11.4%, South Korea 10.1%, Spain 9%, China 7.2%, South Africa 5.2%, Belgium 4.5% (2005)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

NA

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

$3.158 billion (2003 est.)

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

agriculture: 15% industry: 8.8% services: 76.2% (1997 est.)

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

$15,000 (2003 est.)

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

NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$1.636 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners [time series]

France 39%, Singapore 17.4%, Australia 13%, NZ 5.3% (2005)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

-0.6% (1996)

Industries [time series]

nickel mining and smelting

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-0.6% (2000 est.)

Labor force [time series]

78,990 (including 11,300 unemployed) (2004)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 20% industry: 20% services: 60% (1999 est.)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

0 cu m (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

10,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - production [time series]

0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

17.1% (2004)

Area [time series]

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

100 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 0.32% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Oceania

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 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]

name: Noumea geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

4 October 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

Dependency status [time series]

territorial collectivity of France since 1998

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 Michel MATHIEU (since 15 July 2005) head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004) cabinet: Consultative Committee consists of eight members chosen from leading figures on the island to advise the High Commissioner 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 for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 29 June 2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was elected on the third vote with 8 votes for and 3 abstentions

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]

ICFTU, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, 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 belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3 note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate; by 2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2

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]; Caledonian Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; 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 ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 50,874 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 40,822 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males age 18-49: 1,907 (2005 est.)

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 (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force

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

NA

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 28.4% (male 31,818/female 30,503) 15-64 years: 64.9% (male 71,565/female 70,815) 65 years and over: 6.6% (male 6,773/female 7,772) (2006 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

18.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate [time series]

5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 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]

total: 7.57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8.27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages [time series]

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.27 years male: 71.29 years female: 77.39 years (2006 est.)

Literacy [time series]

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

Median age [time series]

total: 27.8 years male: 27.4 years female: 28.2 years (2006 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian

Net migration rate [time series]

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2006 est.)

Population [time series]

219,246 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.24% (2006 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: 0.87 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

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

Airports [time series]

25 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 11 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 6 (2006)

Heliports [time series]

6 (2006)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,566 GRT/2,543 DWT by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2006)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Noumea

Roadways [time series]

total: 5,432 km (2000)