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New Caledonia
Area: 18 576 sq km
Population: 282 200 inhab. (estimate 2018)
Density: 15.19 inhab./sq km
Coordinates: lat. 17° - 23° S; long. 157° - 174° E
Capital: Nouméa (chief town) 99 926 inhab. (2014); Nouméa 179 509 inhab. (2014), urban agglomeration
Currency: CFP franc (Change franc Pacifique)
Member of SPC
New Caledonia
Nouvelle-Calédonie
Useful informationGMT +11
DST not applied
Annual average temperature (°C) Nouméa 23
Average temperature in January/July (°C) Nouméa 26/20
Daily sunshine hours in June/December (average) Nouméa 6/9
Annual average precipitation (mm) Nouméa 1055
Days of rainfall (annual average) Nouméa 106
Politics and current affairsIt has its own special statute, and is governed by a High Commissioner; the New Caledonian Congress is made up of 54 members (the members of the three provincial assemblies being elected directly for a five-year term). It is represented in Paris by two deputies and a senator. After a long decolonization process, in a referendum on 4 November 2018, voters decided against independence from France with 56.4% of the votes.
Geography.
The island group in the southwest Pacific Ocean lies just north of the Tropic of Capricorn, about 1500 km from the coast of Australia. It has a tropical climate.
Administrative division
Administrative divisions
Cities
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nouméa | 99 926 | inhab. | 2014 |
| Dumbéa | 31 812 | inhab. | 2014 |
Urban agglomerations
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nouméa | 179 509 | inhab. | 2014 |
Population
| Population by age and gender (% - 2018) | ||||||||
| ||||||||
| MALE | AGE | FEMALE | ||||||
Demographic statistics
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth rate | 14.6 | ‰ | 2017 |
| Death rate | 5.5 | ‰ | 2017 |
Ethnic groups
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melanesian | 40.1 | % | 2014 |
| European | 27.2 | % | 2014 |
Religions
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 50.8 | % | 2010 |
| Protestant | 32.4 | % | 2010 |
Languages
| DESCRIPTION |
|---|
| French (official) |
| Melanesian dialects |
Population by selected age groups
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-14 years | 22.2 | % | 2018 |
| 15-29 years | 24.3 | % | 2018 |
Economy
Economy.
Important economic activities are nickel mining and tourism.
Economy - General data
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural prod. index (2004-06=100) | 105.33 | index | 2016 |
| Balance of trade | - 871.4 | M US$ | 2018 |
Economy - Employment
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active population | 138 335 | units | 2018 |
| Active population, Females | 45.5 | % | 2018 |
Economy - Unemployment
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate | 13.6 | % | 2018 |
| Unemployment rate, Females | 49.7 | % | 2018 |
Agriculture
Land use
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| arable land | 0.56 | % | 2015 |
| forests | 45.9 | % | 2015 |
Agriculture - products - Cereals
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cereals, total | 9.621 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| maize | 9.415 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Roots and tubers
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cassava | 0.817 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| potatoes | 1.841 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Vegetables
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| eggplants | 0.187 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| watermelons | 1.253 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Coconut palm
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| coconuts | 19.312 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| copra | 0.1 | 1000 t | 2006 |
Agriculture - products - Aromatics
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| coffee | 0.005 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| fruits, total | 3.983 | 1000 t | 2014 |
Agriculture - products - Citrus fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| citrus fruits | 1.997 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| lemons | 0.828 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - products - Tropical fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| bananas | 1.598 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| mangoes | 1.478 | 1000 t | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Cereals
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| maize | 1.045 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| sorghum | 0.175 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Roots and tubers
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cassava | 0.394 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| potatoes | 0.208 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Vegetables
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| watermelons | 0.105 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Coconut palm
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| coconuts | 3.14 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Aromatics
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| coffee | 0.038 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Citrus fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| citrus fruits | 0.394 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| lemons | 0.304 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Agriculture - areas harvested - Tropical fruits
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| bananas | 0.349 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
| mangoes | 0.28 | 1000 ha | 2017 |
Forests-Livestock-Fishing
Forestry
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| timber | 27 469 | m³ | 2017 |
Livestock - Cattle
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cattle | 83 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
| cattle and buffaloes | 83 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Pigs
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| pigs | 39.376 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Sheep
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| sheep | 2.274 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Goats
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| goats | 2.2 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Equines
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| equines, total | 11.274 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
| horses | 11.274 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Poultry
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| birds | 460 | 1000 heads | 2017 |
Livestock - Beekeeping
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| honey | 0.108 | 1000 t | 2014 |
Livestock - Livestock products
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| eggs | 2.204 | 1000 t | 2017 |
| hides and skins | 0.437 | 1000 t | 2013 |
Fishing
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| crustaceans and molluscs | 1 530 | t | 2017 |
| freshwater fishes | 0 | t | 2016 |
Minerals
Mineral resources - Metal ores
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cobalt | 3.4 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| nickel | 209.1 | 1000 t | 2016 |
Energy
Electric energy - Generated
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| - thermal | 2 670 | M kWh | 2016 |
| - hydro | 230 | M kWh | 2016 |
Electric energy - Installed capacity
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| - thermal | 875 | 1000 kW | 2016 |
| - hydro | 78 | 1000 kW | 2016 |
Electric energy - Total production and capacity
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| total net generation | 2 945 | M kWh | 2016 |
| total installed capacity | 996.2 | 1000 kW | 2016 |
Industry
Industry - Iron and Steel, Metallurgy
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| ferroalloys | 295 | 1000 t | 2016 |
| nickel | 4.3 | 1000 t | 2016 |
Industry - Food and beverages
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| beer of barley | 13.7 | 1000 t | 2014 |
| coconut oil | 0.07 | 1000 t | 2014 |
Industry - Glass and other non-metallic mineral products
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| cement | 104 | 1000 t | 2016 |
Trade
Composition of goods exports
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| manufactures | 59.041 | % of goods exports | 2015 |
| ores and metals | 37.753 | % of goods exports | 2015 |
International trade by country - Merchandise Export
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 271.1 | M US$ | 2010 |
| Japan | 238.7 | M US$ | 2010 |
International trade by country - Merchandise Import
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 736.9 | M US$ | 2010 |
| China | 582.7 | M US$ | 2010 |
Tourism
International Tourism
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expenditures | 252 | M US$ | 2016 |
| Number of arrivals | 121 000 | units | 2017 |
Social and welfare
Social statistics - Education
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illiteracy rate, adult | 3.1 | % | 2015 |
Social statistics - Health
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians | 2.3 | per 1000 pop. | 2017 |
Social statistics - Diseases
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuberculosis (prevalence) | 10 | per 100 000 pop. | 2008 |
Other social indicators
| DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Access to electricity | 100 | % | 2017 |
| Access to improved sanitation | 100 | % | 2015 |
