New Caledonia

Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

Australia and Oceania Noumea

Population

307.6K

Area

18,575 km²

GDP

$10.13B

GDP Per Capita

$34,600

Pop. Density

17/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

₣CFP franc(XPF)

Calling Code

+687

Timezone

UTC+11:00

Languages

French

Driving Side

right

Demonym

New Caledonian

Background

The first humans settled in New Caledonia around 1600 B.C. The Lapita were skilled navigators, and evidence of their pottery around the Pacific has served as a guide for understanding human expansion in the region. Successive waves of migrants from other islands in Melanesia intermarried with the Lapita, giving rise to the Kanak ethnic group considered indigenous to New Caledonia. British explorer James COOK was the first European to visit New Caledonia in 1774, giving it the Latin name for Scotland. Missionaries first landed in New Caledonia in 1840. In 1853, France annexed New Caledonia to preclude any British attempt to claim the island. France declared it a penal colony in 1864 and sent more than 20,000 prisoners to New Caledonia in the ensuing three decades.

Nickel was discovered in 1864, and French prisoners were directed to mine it. France brought in indentured servants and enslaved labor from elsewhere in Southeast Asia to work the mines, blocking Kanaks from accessing the most profitable part of the local economy. In 1878, High Chief ATAI led a rebellion against French rule. The Kanaks were relegated to reservations, leading to periodic smaller uprisings and culminating in a large revolt in 1917 that colonial authorities brutally suppressed. During World War II, New Caledonia became an important base for Allied troops, and the US moved its South Pacific headquarters to the island in 1942. Following the war, France made New Caledonia an overseas territory and granted French citizenship to all inhabitants in 1953, thereby permitting the Kanaks to move off the reservations.

The Kanak nationalist movement began in the 1950s, but most voters chose to remain a territory in an independence referendum in 1958. The European population of New Caledonia boomed in the 1970s with a renewed focus on nickel mining, reigniting Kanak nationalism. Key Kanak leaders were assassinated in the early 1980s, leading to escalating violence and dozens of fatalities. The Matignon Accords of 1988 provided for a 10-year transition period. The Noumea Accord of 1998 transferred increasing governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia over a 20-year period and provided for three independence referenda. In the first held in 2018, voters rejected independence by 57% to 43%; in the second held in 2020, voters rejected independence 53% to 47%. In the third referendum held in 2021, voters rejected independence 96% to 4%; however, a boycott by key Kanak groups spurred challenges about the legitimacy of the vote. Pro-independence parties subsequently won a majority in the New Caledonian Government for the first time. France and New Caledonia officials remain in talks about the status of the territory.

Geography17

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references

Oceania

Area

total : 18,575 sq km
land: 18,275 sq km
water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

2,254 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate

tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain

coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation

highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

Natural resources

nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use

agricultural land

10.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 9.5% (2023 est.)

forest

48.8% (2023 est.)

other

41.1% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

100 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea

Natural hazards

cyclones, most frequent from November to March

volcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active

Geography - note

consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyauté, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

People & Society24

Population

total: 307,612 (2025 est.)
male: 153,036
female: 154,576

Nationality

noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups

Kanak 39.1%, European 27.1%, Wallisian, Futunian 8.2%, Tahitian 2.1%, Indonesian 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1%, Vietnamese 0.9%, other 17.7%, unspecified 2.5% (2014 est.)

Languages

Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Christian 85.2%, Muslim 2.8%, other 1.6%, unaffiliated 10.4% (2020 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.7% (male 32,238/female 30,858)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 104,825/female 103,349)
65 years and over: 10.8% (2024 est.) (male 14,326/female 18,571)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 46.2 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 30 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 16.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 6.2 (2025 est.)

Median age

total: 34.6 years (2025 est.)
male: 33.5 years
female: 35.1 years

Population growth rate

1.11% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

13.6 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea

Urbanization

urban population: 72.7% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

198,000 NOUMEA (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 5.8 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.3 years (2024 est.)
male: 75.4 years
female: 83.3 years

Total fertility rate

1.82 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.89 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total: total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

46.4% (2019 est.)

Government24

Country name

conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
conventional short form: New Caledonia
local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances
local short form: Nouvelle-Calédonie
etymology: the name came from British explorer Captain James COOK in 1774 and uses the Latin name for Scotland, Caledonia

Government type

parliamentary democracy (Territorial Congress); an overseas collectivity of France

Dependency status

special collectivity of France

Capital

name: Noumea
geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: established in 1854 as Port-de-France, the settlement was renamed Noumea in 1866 to avoid confusion with Fort-de-France in Martinique; the name Noumea may come from the local name of the peninsula the city was founded on

Administrative divisions

3 provinces; Province Iles (Islands Province), Province Nord (North Province), and Province Sud (South Province)

Legal system

civil law system based on French civil law

Constitution

history: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in the Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998)
amendment process: French constitution amendment procedures apply

Citizenship

see France

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state

President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by High Commissioner Jacques BILLANT (since 3 May 2025)

head of government

President of the Government Alcide PONGA (since 8 January 2025)

cabinet

Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress

election/appointment process

French president directly elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of New Caledonia elected by Territorial Congress for a 5-year term (no term limits)

most recent election date

8 July 2021

election results

2025: Alcide PONGA (The Republicans) elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 of 11 votes

2021: Louis MAPOU (PALIKA) elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 of 11 votes

expected date of next election

2026

Legislative branch

legislature name

Territorial Congress (Congrès du Territoire)

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

54 (indirectly elected)

electoral system

proportional representation

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

5/12/2019

parties elected and seats per party

Future With Confidence 18, UNI 9, UC 9, CE 7, FLNKS 6, Oceanic Awakening 3, PT 1, LKS 1 (Anti-Independence 28, Pro-Independence 26)

expected date of next election

December 2025

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; court bench normally includes the court president and 2 counselors); Administrative Court (number of judges NA)
judge selection and term of office: judge appointment and tenure based on France's judicial system
subordinate courts: Courts of First Instance include: civil, juvenile, commercial, labor, police, criminal, assizes, and also a pre-trial investigation chamber; Joint Commerce Tribunal; administrative courts

Political parties

Caledonia Together or CE
Caledonian Union or UC
Future With Confidence or AEC
Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (alliance includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM)
Labor Party or PT
National Union for Independence or UNI
Oceanian Awakening
Party of Kanak Liberation or PALIKA
Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS
The Republicans (formerly The Rally or UMP)

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US

embassy: none (overseas territory of France)

International organization participation

ITUC (NGOs), PIF, SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WMO

Independence

none (overseas collectivity of France)

National holiday

Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)

Flag

description: the country has two official flags with equal status, the flag of France and the Kanak (ethnic Melanesian) flag; the latter consists of three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a large yellow disk shifted slightly to the left side is edged in black and displays a black fleche faîtière symbol, a native rooftop adornment

National symbol(s)

flèche faîtière (native rooftop adornment), kagu bird

National color(s)

grey, red

National coat of arms

the emblem features two symbols of the local Kanak people: the flèche faîtière, which is a common rooftop adornment on houses, and the nautilus shell, which represents the sea; the third part of the emblem is a stylized representation of a New Caledonia pine tree

National anthem(s)

title: "La Marseillaise" (The Song of Marseille)
lyrics/music: Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle
history: official anthem, as a self-governing French territory

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural); note - excerpted from the France entry
selected World Heritage Site locales: Lagoons of New Caledonia

Economy24

Economic overview

upper-middle-income French Pacific territorial economy; enormous nickel reserves; ongoing French independence negotiations; large Chinese nickel exporter; luxury eco-tourism destination; large French aid recipient; high cost-of-living; lingering wealth disparities

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $8.469 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $8.642 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $8.678 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022: 3.5% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2021: -2.1% (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2020: -2.4% (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $34,600 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $35,000 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $33,500 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$10.129 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 3.7% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021: 0.6% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020: -0.5% (2020 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 1.8% (2019 est.)
industry: 22.3% (2019 est.)
services: 65.2% (2019 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

65.6% (2017 est.)

government consumption

23.5% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

27.9% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services

21% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-37.9% (2017 est.)

Agricultural products

coconuts, vegetables, fruits, pork, beef, maize, eggs, bananas, yams, oranges (2023)

Industries

nickel mining and smelting

Labor force

130,800 (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 11.2% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 11% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 10.8% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 32.7% (2024 est.)
male: 30.2% (2024 est.)
female: 35.7% (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022: 6.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 6.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2020: 6.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

Budget

revenues: $1.995 billion (2015 est.)
expenditures: $1.993 billion (2015 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2014: 6.5% of GDP (2014 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016: -$654.237 million (2016 est.)
Current account balance 2015: -$1.119 billion (2015 est.)
Current account balance 2014: -$1.3 billion (2014 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021: $1.92 billion (2021 est.)
Exports 2020: $1.8 billion (2020 est.)
Exports 2019: $1.79 billion (2019 est.)

Exports - partners

China 75%, Japan 9%, Taiwan 3%, India 3%, France 2% (2023)

Exports - commodities

iron alloys, nickel, nickel ore, processed crustaceans, shellfish (2023)

Imports

Imports 2021: $2.26 billion (2021 est.)
Imports 2020: $2.1 billion (2020 est.)
Imports 2019: $2.48 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

France 36%, Singapore 16%, Australia 15%, China 6%, NZ 3% (2023)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, coal, cars, aircraft, packaged medicine (2023)

Exchange rates

Currency

Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2024

110.306 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

110.347 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

113.474 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

100.88 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

104.711 (2020 est.)

Energy5

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 1.174 million kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 3.02 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 66.3 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 73.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 7.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
wind: 1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 17.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

consumption: 1.026 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 1.001 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 2 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 17,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 46,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 263,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 92 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

the publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts over the RFO Nouvelle-Calédonie TV and radio stations; a small number of privately owned radio stations also broadcast

Internet country code

.nc

Internet users

percent of population: 82% (2017 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 56,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2022 est.)

Transportation4

Airports

21 (2025)

Heliports

2 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 23 (2023)
by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 17

Ports

total ports

3 (2024)

large

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

Baie de Kouaoua, Baie Ugue, Noumea

Military & Security2

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Territorial Directorate of the National Police of New Caledonia (DTPN), Gendarmerie of New Caledonia (2025)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of France, which bases land, air, and naval forces on New Caledonia (Forces Armées de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, FANC)

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