NEW CALEDONIA (overseas territory of France) GEOGRAPHY Total area: 19,060 km2; land area: 18,760 km2 Comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey Land boundaries: none Coastline: 2,254 km Maritime claims: Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm 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 NEGL%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and pastures 14%; forest and woodland 51%; other 35% Environment: typhoons most frequent from November to March Note: located 1,750 km east of Australia in the South Pacific Ocean PEOPLE Population: 171,559 (July 1991), growth rate 1.9% (1991) Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1991) Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1991) Net migration rate: 1 migrant/1,000 population (1991) Infant mortality rate: 17 deaths/1,000 live births (1991) Life expectancy at birth: 69 years male, 76 years female (1991) Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (1991) 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 3.0% Religion: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% Language: French; 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects Literacy: 91% (male 91%, female 90%) age 15 and over can read and write (1976) Labor force: 50,469; foreign workers for plantations and mines from Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, and French Polynesia (1980 est.) Organized labor: NA GOVERNMENT Long-form name: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies 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); note--a referendum on independence will be held in 1998, with a review of the issue in 1992 Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789) Executive branch: high commissioner, Consultative Committee (cabinet) Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly Judicial branch: Court of Appeal Leaders: Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); Head of Government High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Bernard GRASSET (since 15 July 1988) Political parties: white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique (RPCR), conservative, Jacques LAFLEUR--affiliated to France's Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR); Melanesian proindependence Kanak 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, Yann CELENE Suffrage: universal adult at age 18 Elections: Territorial Assembly--last held 11 June 1989 (next to be held NA 1993); results--percent of vote by party--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; French Senate--last held 24 September 1989 (next to be held September 1992); 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 June 1993); results--percent of vote by party--RPR 83.5%, FN 13.5%, other 3%; seats--(2 total) RPCR 2 Communists: number unknown; Palita extreme left party; some politically active Communists deported during 1950s; small number of North Vietnamese Member of: FZ, SPC, WFTU, WMO Diplomatic representation: as an overseas territory of France, New Caledonian interests are represented in the US by France Flag: the flag of France is used 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. GNP: $973 million, per capita $5,790; real growth rate 2.4% (1990 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4.1% (1989) Unemployment rate: 16.0% (1989) Budget: revenues $224.0 million; expenditures $211.0 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1985) Exports: $344 million (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--nickel metal 87%, nickel ore; partners--France 52.3%, Japan 15.8%, US 6.4% Imports: $389 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 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 (1970-88), $3.9 billion Currency: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (plural--francs); 1 CFP franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1--93.28 (January 1991), 99.00 (1990), 115.99 (1989), 108.30 (1988), 109.27 (1987), 125.92 (1986), 163.35 (1985); note--linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc Fiscal year: calendar year COMMUNICATIONS Highways: 6,340 km total; only about 10% paved (1987) Ports: Noumea, Nepoui, Poro, Thio Civil air: 1 major transport aircraft Airports: 29 total, 27 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m Telecommunications: 32,578 telephones (1987); stations--5 AM, 3 FM, 7 TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station DEFENSE FORCES Branches: Gendarmerie, Police Force Manpower availability: males 15-49, 46,388; NA fit for military service Note: defense is the responsibility of France