*New Caledonia, Geography Location: in the South Pacific Ocean, 1,750 km east of Australia Map references: Oceania Area: total area: 19,060 km2 land area: 18,760 km2 comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 2,254 km Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 14% forest and woodland: 51% other: 35% Irrigated land: NA km2 Environment: typhoons most frequent from November to March *New Caledonia, People Population: 178,056 (July 1993 est.) Population growth rate: 1.83% (1993 est.) Birth rate: 22.7 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 5.01 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) Net migration rate: 0.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.) Infant mortality rate: 15.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.22 years male: 69.92 years female: 76.7 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 2.67 children born/woman (1993 est.) Nationality: noun: New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian Ethnic divisions: Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3% Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% Languages: French, 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1976) total population: 91% male: 91% female: 90% Labor force: 50,469 foreign workers for plantations and mines from Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, and French Polynesia (1980 est.) by occupation: NA *New Caledonia, Government Names: 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 Digraph: NC Type: overseas territory of France since 1956 Capital: Noumea Administrative divisions: 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 Independence: none (overseas territory of France; a referendum on independence will be held in 1998) Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789) Political parties and leaders: white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique (RPCR), conservative, Jacques LAFLEUR - affiliated to France's Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR); Melanesian proindependence Kanaka 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, UREGEI; Union Caledonian (UC), Francois BURCK Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Elections: French Senate: last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held September 2001); 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 21 and 28 March 1993); results - RPR 83.5%, FN 13.5%, other 3%; seats - (2 total) RPCR 2 Territorial Assembly: last held 11 June 1989 (next to be held 1993); results - 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 Executive branch: French president, high commissioner, Consultative Committee (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly Judicial branch: Court of Appeal *New Caledonia, Government Leaders: Chief of State: President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981) Head of Government: High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Alain CHRISTNACHT (since 15 January 1991) Member of: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO Diplomatic representation in US: as an overseas territory of France, New Caledonian interests are represented in the US by France US diplomatic representation: none (overseas territory of France) Flag: the flag of France is used *New Caledonia, Economy Overview: 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. National product: GNP - exchange rate conversion - $1 billion (1991 est.) National product real growth rate: 2.4% (1988) National product per capita: $6,000 (1991 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (1989) Unemployment rate: 16% (1989) Budget: revenues $224.0 million; expenditures $211.0 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1985) Exports: $671 million (f.o.b., 1989) commodities: nickel metal 87%, nickel ore partners: France 52.3%, Japan 15.8%, US 6.4% Imports: $764 million (c.i.f., 1989) commodities: foods, fuels, minerals, machines, electrical equipment partners: France 44.0%, US 10%, Australia 9% External debt: $NA Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: 400,000 kW capacity; 2,200 million kWh produced, 12,790 kWh per capita (1990) Industries: nickel mining and smelting Agriculture: large areas devoted to cattle grazing; coffee, corn, wheat, vegetables; 60% self-sufficient in beef Illicit drugs: illicit cannabis cultivation is becoming a principal source of income for some families Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $4,185 million Currency: 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais duPacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1 - 99.65 (January 1993), 96.24 (1992), 102.57 (1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988); note - linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc Fiscal year: calendar year *New Caledonia, Communications Highways: 6,340 km total; only about 10% paved (1987) Ports: Noumea, Nepoui, Poro, Thio Airports: total: 29 usable: 27 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 2 Telecommunications: 32,578 telephones (1987); broadcast stations - 5 AM, 3 FM, 7 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station *New Caledonia, Defense Forces Branches: Gendarmerie, Police Force Note: defense is the responsibility of France