New Caledonia

New Caledonia

New Caledonia

New Caledonia - Find Mobile Phones, Internet. Country Code
Internet Domain name TLD - .nc
Calling code - 687
New Caledonia / Nouvelle-Calédonie
 - -  -
Flag - Emblem
Anthem :La Marseillaise
Capital
(and largest city) - Nouméa
Official language(s) - French
Local languages - New Caledonian languages and Loyalty Island languages
Government - Overseas territory of France
Presidential Head of State - Nicolas Sarkozy
President of the Government of New Caledonia - Philippe Gomès
High Commissioner - Yves Dassonville
Overseas territory of France - since 1853
Area
Total - 18,575 km (154th)
7,359 sq mi
Population
Jan. 1, 2009 estimate - 249,000 - (178th
Aug./Sept. 2004 census - 230,7892 -
Density - 13/km (200th)
34/sq mi
GDP (nominal) - 2007 estimate
Total - US$8.82 billion - (not ranked
Per capita - US$36,376 - (not ranked
HDI (2003) - n/a (unranked ) (n/a
Currency - CFP franc (XPF
Time zone - (UTC+11
La Marseillaise is the official anthem, a local anthem Soyons unis, devenons frères was adopted in 2008.
New Caledonia - (French:officially:Nouvelle-Calédonie ;colloquially:(la) Calédonie ;popular nickname:(le) Caillou ), is an overseas collectivity of France located in the subregion of Melanesia in the southwest Pacific. It comprises a main island ( Grande Terre ), the Loyalty Islands, and several smaller islands. Approximately half the size of Taiwan, it has a land area of 18,575.5 square kilometres (7,172 sq mi). The population was estimated in January 2009 to be 249,000. - The capital and largest city of the territory is Nouméa. The currency is the CFP franc.

Since 1986 the United Nations Committee on Decolonization has included New Caledonia on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. New Caledonia is set to decide whether to remain within the French Republic or become an independent state in a referendum to be held between 2014 and 2019.5 -

Nouméa, the capital, is also the seat of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (formerly the South Pacific Commission), an international organization.


Coordinates : Latitude: 20°59′31″S Longitude:165°01′12″E  /  20.992°S 165.02°E  / -20.992;165.02
1 - Name
2 - Geography
3 - History
4 - Politics
  • 4.1 - Representation at the national level
  • 5 - Subdivisions
    6 - Climate
    7 - Ecology
  • 7.1 - Ecology and politics
  • 8 - Economy
    9 - Demography
    9.1 - CIA World Factbook demographic statistics
    9.2 - Languages
    10 - Culture
    10.1 - Sports
    11 - Images of New Caledonia
    12 - See also
    13 - Notes
    14 - References
    15 -

    Name
    The name Caledonia derives from the Latin name of an area corresponding to modern Scotland, and used as a poetic name for Scotland under the influence of Neo-Classicism.

    The rugged coastline of New Caledonia allegedly reminded Captain Cook (whose father was a Scot) of Scotland, and he thus named it New Caledonia. In French, Nouvelle-Calédonie is the official name, but the territory is often called only Calédonie in colloquial use, as in l'histoire de la Calédonie 6 - . The adjective néo-calédonien(ne) is seldom used;calédonien(ne) is the term most often used, even by official institutions, as in l'économie calédonienne 7 - ("the New Caledonian economy").

    The nickname (le) Caillou (literally "the stone" or "the pebble") is used as an endearing term by the European community of New Caledonia to designate the territory. It allegedly refers to the main island of New Caledonia which is a nickel-rich, long rock formation emerging from the Pacific Ocean.

    Another nickname, (la) Kanaky , is also used in by independence movements, and the indigenous languages. This name is favored by Melanesian nationalists. The word comes from kanaka , a Hawaiian word (elsewhere tangata and variants) meaning "human/person/people", used by Polynesians to refer to themselves. The word was later used by the French to refer to all the indigenous inhabitants of the South Pacific Ocean, including the Melanesian (non-Polynesian) native inhabitants of New Caledonia. The word, turned into Canaque in French, became derogatory. In the 1960s and 1970s, when the Melanesian native inhabitants started to organize themselves into political parties and call for independence, the word was transformed into a symbol of political emancipation and pride. In 1983, during the period of political turmoil, the terms Kanak and Kanaky became political brand names and colonial whites realized the name had changed into a political statement.

    The official name of the territory, Nouvelle-Calédonie , could be changed in the near future due to the Nouméa Accord of 1998 which stated that "a name, a flag, an anthem, a motto, and the design of banknotes will have to be sought by all parties together, to express the Kanak identity and the future shared by all parties."8 - To date, however, there has been no consensus on a new name for the territory.9 -


    Geography
    Geography of New Caledonia
     -
    Map of New Caledonia
    New Caledonia is located around Latitude: 21°30′S Longitude:165°30′E  /  21.5°S 165.5°E  / -21.5;165.5 in the southwest Pacific Ocean, approximately 1,200 kilometres (746 mi) east of Australia and 1,500 kilometres (932 mi) northwest of New Zealand. The island nation of Vanuatu lies to the northeast.

    New Caledonia is made up of a main island, the Grande Terre , and several smaller islands, the Belep archipelago to the north of the Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands to the east of the Grande Terre, the Île des Pins (Isle of Pines) to the south of the Grande Terre, the Chesterfield Islands and Bellona Reefs further to the west. A territorial dispute exists with regard to the uninhabited Matthew and Hunter Islands, which are claimed by both France (as part of New Caledonia) and Vanuatu.

    The Grande Terre is by far the largest of the islands, and the only mountainous island. It has an area of 16,372 square kilometres (6,321 sq mi), and is elongated northwest-southeast, 350 kilometres (217 mi) in length and 50 to 70 kilometres (31–44 mi) wide. A mountain range runs the length of the island, with five peaks over 1,500 meters (4,900 ft). The highest point is Mont Panié at 1,628 meters (5,341 ft) elevation. The total area of New Caledonia is 19,060 km (7,360 sq mi), 18,575 km (7,172 sq mi) of those being land.

    New Caledonia is one of the northernmost parts of a (93%) submerged continent called Zealandia. It sank after rifting away from Australia 60–85 million years ago (mya) and from Antarctica between 130 and 85 mya. New Caledonia itself is separated from Australia since 65 mya, and subsequently drifted in a north-easterly direction, reaching its present position about 50 mya.10 -

    History
    The Western Pacific was first populated by humans about 3,000 years ago. The Austronesians moved into the area later. The diverse group of people that settled over the Melanesian archipelagos are known as the Lapita. They arrived in the archipelago now commonly known as New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands around 1500 BC. The Lapita were highly skilled navigators and agriculturists with influence over a large area of the Pacific.11 -

    From about the 11th century Polynesians also arrived and mixed with the populations of the archipelago.

    Europeans first sighted New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands in the late 18th century. The British explorer James Cook sighted Grande Terre in 1774 and named it New Caledonia , Caledonia being a Latin name for Scotland. During the same voyage he also named the islands to the north of New Caledonia the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu), after the isles off the west coast of Scotland.

    Whalers operated off New Caledonia during the 19th century. Sandalwood traders were welcome but as supplies of sandalwood diminished, the traders became abusive. The Europeans brought new diseases such as smallpox, measles, dysentery, influenza, syphilis, and leprosy. Many people died as a result of these diseases. Tensions developed into hostilities, and in 1849, the crew of the American ship Cutter were killed and eaten by the Pouma clan.12 -

    As trade in sandalwood declined, it was replaced by a new form of trade, "Blackbirding". Blackbirding was a euphemism for enslaving people from New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, New Hebrides, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands to work in sugar cane plantations in Fiji and Queensland. The trade ceased at the start of the 20th century. The victims of this trade were called Kanakas like all the Oceanian people, after the Hawaiian word for 'man'.13 - This label was later shortened to Kanak, and adopted by the indigenous population after the French annexation.13 -

    New Caledonia was made a French possession in late 1853, a part of an attempt by Napoleon III to rival the British colonies in Australia and New Zealand. Auguste Febvrier Despointes led the expedition that seized the island. Following the example set by the United Kingdom in parts of nearby Australia, France sent a total of 22,000 convicted felons to penal colonies along the south-west coast of New Caledonia between 1864 and 1922. This number included regular criminals as well as political prisoners such as Parisian socialists and Kabyle nationalists. Towards the end of the penal colony era, free European settlers (including former convicts) and Asian contract workers by far outnumbered the population of forced workers. The indigenous Kanak populations declined drastically in that same period due to introduced diseases and an apartheid -like system called Code de l'Indigénat which imposed severe restrictions on their livelihood, freedom of movement and land ownership.

     -
    La Poule rock, Hienghène
    During World War II, the French South Pacific colonies of New Caledonia, French Polynesia and the New Hebrides joined the Free French Forces. Assisted by Australia,14 - the South Pacific colonies became vital Allied bases in the Pacific Ocean. American Allied forces built up a major naval base in New Caledonia to combat the advance of Imperial Japan toward Australia, New Zealand, and the Solomon Islands. If left unchecked, Japanese advances threatened to sever the sea lanes between North America and Australia. Nouméa served as a headquarters of the United States Navy and Army in the South Pacific.15 - Due to the proximity of the territory to the South Pacific operations, Nouméa also provided a repair base for damaged American and Allied ships. Nouméa declined in importance as a naval and military base as the American and Allied offensive rapidly moved north and over the Equator.

    After the war, the Allied military headquarters – a pentagonal complex – was taken over as the base for a new regional intergovernmental development organisation:the South Pacific Commission, later known as the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

    New Caledonia has been on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories since 1986. Agitation by the Front de Libération Nationale Kanak Socialiste (FLNKS) for independence began in 1985. The FLNKS (led by the late Jean-Marie Tjibaou, assassinated in 1989) advocated the creation of an independent state of "Kanaky". The troubles culminated in 1988 with a bloody hostage taking in Ouvéa. The unrest led to agreement on increased autonomy in the Matignon Accords of 1988 and the Nouméa Accord of 1998. This Accord describes the devolution process as "irreversible" and also provides for a local Caledonian citizenship, separate official symbols of Caledonian identity (such as a "national" flag), as well as mandating a referendum on the contentious issue of independence from the French Republic sometime after 2014.


    Politics
    Politics of New Caledonia
     -
    Flag of the independence movements
    New Caledonia has a unique status between that of an independent country and a normal Overseas department of France.

    On the one hand, both a Territorial Congress ( Congress of New Caledonia ) and government have been established, and are increasingly empowered via the gradual implementation of a devolution of powers from France in favour of New Caledonia, pursuant to the 1998 Nouméa Accord. Key areas (e.g. taxation, labour law, health and hygiene, foreign trade, and others) are already in the hands of the Territorial Congress and government. Further authority will be given to the Territorial Congress in the near future. Ultimately, the French Republic should only remain in charge of foreign affairs, justice, defense, public order, and the treasury. An additional enhancement to New Caledonian autonomy has come in the form of recently introduced territorial "citizenship":Only New Caledonian "citizens" have the right to vote in local elections. The introduction of this right has been criticised because it creates a second-class status for French citizens living in New Caledonia who do not possess New Caledonian "citizenship" (because they settled in the territory recently). ] Further signs of increased autonomy for the territory include New Caledonia's right to engage in international cooperation with independent countries of the Pacific Ocean region, the continued use of a local currency (the French Pacific Franc, or CFP) rather than the Euro, as well as the authority of the Territorial Congress to pass statutes overriding French law in a number of areas.

    On the other hand, New Caledonia remains a part of the French Republic. The inhabitants of New Caledonia are French citizens, carry French passports and take part in the legislative and presidential French elections.

    The Nouméa Accord provides a mechanism for the determination of the ultimate status and degree of New Caledonian territorial autonomy:pursuant to the Accord, the Territorial Congress will have the right to call for a referendum on independence at any time of its choosing after 2014.

    The current president of the government elected by the territorial Congress is Philippe Gomès, from the loyalist (i.e. anti-independence) "Caledonia Together" party ( Calédonie Ensemble ), which split from "Future Together" ( Avenir Ensemble ) in 2008. "Future Together" is a party of mostly White and Polynesian New Caledonians opposed to independence, but rebelling against the hegemonic and (allegedly) corrupt anti-independence RPCR, led by Jacques Lafleur. Their toppling of the RPCR (until then seen as the only voice of New Caledonian Whites) was a surprise to many, and a sign that New Caledonian society is undergoing changes. "Future Together," as the name implies, is opposed to a racial-oriented vision of New Caledonian political life, one based purely on the political primacy of either the Melanesian native inhabitants or the descendants of European settlers. Rather, it is in favour of a multicultural New Caledonia that retains its existing relationship with France, of governing principles that better reflect the reality of the existence of large populations of Polynesians, Indonesians and other immigrant communities that make up the territory's population. Some members of "Future Together" are even in favour of some form of autonomy or independence, though not necessarily on the same basis as the Melanesian independence parties which seek full independence for New Caledonia.


    Representation at the national level
    New Caledonia sends two deputies to the French National Assembly, one representing the commune (municipality) of Nouméa, the commune of L'Île-des-Pins and the Loyalty Islands Province, and the other representing the rest of New Caledonia. New Caledonia also sends one senator to the French Senate. At the 2007 French presidential election the voter turnout in New Caledonia was 68.14%.16 - The representative of the French central state in New Caledonia is the High Commissioner of the Republic ( Haut-Commissaire de la République , locally known as " haussaire "), who is the head of civil services, and who sits as an integral part of the territorial government.

    Subdivisions
     -
    Saint Joseph's Bay on the Isle of Pines
     -
    Nouméa, on a cloudy day in June 2006, looking north
    Administrative divisions of New Caledonia
    Along with other Pacific Ocean territories of French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia is part of the French Republic. Its official status, unique in the French Republic, is said to be sui generis , because New Caledonia is the only French subdivision that is not a collectivité territoriale . New Caledonia was a colony until 1946, then an overseas territory ( territoire d'outre-mer , or TOM ) from 1946 to 1999. The capital is Nouméa, the only major conurbation in the territory.

    Administratively, the archipelago is divided into three provinces :

    South Province ( province Sud ). Provincial capital:Nouméa. Population:183,007 inhabitants (2009).
    North Province ( province Nord ). Provincial capital:Koné. Population:45,137 inhabitants (2009).
    Loyalty Islands Province ( province des îles Loyauté ). Provincial capital:Lifou. Population:17,436 inhabitants (2009).
    It is further subdivided into thirty-three communes. One commune, Poya, is divided between two provinces. The northern half of Poya, with the main settlement and most of the population, is part of the North Province, while the southern half of the commune, with only 127 inhabitants in 2009, is part of the South Province.

    New Caledonia administrative1.png

    South Province - North Province - Loyalty Islands Province
    Thio
    Yaté
    L'Île-des-Pins
    Le Mont-Dore
    Nouméa
    Dumbéa
    Païta
    Bouloupari
    La Foa
    Sarraméa
    Farino
    Moindou
    Bourail
    Poya (part north
    -
    Poya (part south
    Pouembout
    Koné
    Voh
    Kaala-Gomen
    Koumac
    Poum
    Belep
    Ouégoa
    Pouébo
    Hienghène
    Touho
    Poindimié
    Ponérihouen
    Houaïlou
    Kouaoua
    Canala
    -
    Ouvéa
    Lifou
    Maré
    There are also three administrative subdivisions, simply known as subdivisions in French, with exactly the same names and same boundaries as the three provinces, except that the commune of Poya is entirely contained inside the North Subdivision. Contrary to the provinces, which are full political divisions with provincial assemblies and executives, the administrative subdivisions are merely deconcentrated divisions of the French central state, akin to the arrondissements of metropolitan France, with a Deputy Commissioner of the Republic ( commissaire délégué de la République ), akin to a subprefect of metropolitan France, in residence in each subdivision's chief town.

    The subdivision chief towns are the same as the provincial capitals except in the South Subdivision where the chief town is La Foa, whereas the capital of the South Province is Nouméa. Thus, although the provincial assembly of the South Province sits in Nouméa, the South Subdivision's Deputy Commissioner of the Republic is in residence in La Foa. This was decided in order to counterbalance the overwhelming weight of Nouméa in New Caledonia.

    In addition, a parallel layer of administration exists for Kanak tribal affairs;these are called aires coutumières ("traditional spheres") and are eight in number (see map of the "aires coutumières"). Their jurisdiction does not encompass non-Kanaks living within these zones. The aires coutumières more or less correspond to the indigenous language areas of pre-French tribal alliances.


    Climate
     -
    New Caledonia from space
    New Caledonia lies astride the Tropic of Capricorn, between 19° and 23° south latitude. The climate of the islands is tropical, and rainfall is highly seasonal, brought by trade winds that usually come from the east. Rainfall averages about 1,500 millimetres (59 in) yearly on the Loyalty Islands, 2,000 millimetres (79 in) at low elevations on eastern Grande Terre, and 2,000-4,000 millimetres (79–157.5 in) at high elevations on the Grande Terre. The western side of the Grande Terre lies in the rain shadow of the central mountains, and rainfall averages 1,200 millimetres (47 in) per year.

    There are two main seasons:a dry season, and a warm and wet season. The dry cooler months are from April to November with daily temperature ranges from 17-27 °C. During the wet season (December to March) the temperature can reach 32 °C. The south-east trade winds temper the heat, and evenings are pleasantly cool. The wet season sees the occasional cyclone hitting the islands.


    Ecology
    Biodiversity of New Caledonia and Endemic Birds of New Caledonia
     -
    Baie des Tortues" (Turtle Bay) near "La roche percée" (Pierced Rock) at Bourail in New Caledonia
    New Caledonia is considered one of the world's most critically endangered and botanically most important hotspots. Unlike many of the Pacific Islands, which are of relatively recent volcanic origin, New Caledonia is part of Zealandia, a fragment of the ancient Gondwana super-continent. Zealandia separated from Australia 60–85 million years ago,17 - and the ridge linking New Caledonia to New Zealand has been deeply submerged for millions of years. This isolated New Caledonia from the rest of the world's landmasses, and made it a Noah's Ark of sorts, preserving a snapshot of prehistoric Gondwanan forests. The country still shelters an extraordinary diversity of unique, endemic, and extremely primitive plants and animals of Gondwanan origin, as well as the second largest coral reef in the world.

    Fossil and subfossil remains reveal that large terrestrial animals once inhabited the island but became extinct during the Holocene prior to European arrival. These include the horned turtle Meiolania , the crocodile Mekosuchus , monitor lizards and a variety of flightless birds, the largest of which was Sylviornis.

     -
    The endemic Kagu bird
    A few of the country's animals and plants have become somewhat emblematic in local culture. Among the best known is a hen-sized, flightless bird, commonly known as the Cagou or Kagu, which has a large crest and an odd barking call. Its song and image are frequently seen as nationally recognized icons. Another commonly used cultural emblem is the Columnar or Cook's Pine ( Araucaria columnaris ), an important symbol in Kanak culture. The Niaouli tree (also native to Australia and New Guinea), is of medicinal interest, locally and abroad. Its sap (which contains gomenol, a camphor-smelling compound), is used to treat head colds, and as an antiseptic. It also shows potential to treat other medical ailments. Before the Europeans arrived, there was no mammal other than the Roussette (aka flying fox), a large vegetarian bat, considered a local delicacy. Less well-known by the native population is the fact their country is home to a species of plant, (Amborella trichopoda) , believed to be genetically close to the ancestor of all flowering plants, or the fact their nation boasts the largest number and diversity of conifer species in the world, per unit of geographic area (a remarkable fact, given that conifers are usually relatively rare in tropical regions).
     -
    Typical terrain in the south of the islands at Grand Terre
    Official emblem (Nautilus
    The islands contain two precipitation zones:Higher-rainfall areas (located on the Loyalty Islands, Isle of Pines (Île des Pins), and on the eastern side of Grande Terre) which support New Caledonia rain forests, and a more arid region, home to the now exceedingly endangered New Caledonia dry forests, located in the rain shadow on the western side of Grande Terre. Europeans settled on the dry west coast of Grande Terre, leaving the east (as well as the Loyalty Islands and the Isle of Pines) to the Kanaks, and resulting in an ethno-cultural division which coincides with the natural one. Extensive farming by Europeans in the dry forest areas, has caused these forest ecosystems to virtually disappear.

    It is a vast oversimplification, however, to merely describe New Caledonia's extremely important, complex and diverse ecology in terms of precipitation zones. Species and ecological diversity is further complicated by soil type (degree and type of mineralization), altitude, and geographic location (for instance, Loyalty Islands and Isle of Pines have flora that is distinct from Grande Terre).

    In addition to the remarkable terrestrial environment of New Caledonia, the country is also home to important aquatic ecosystems. Its freshwater ecology also evolved in long isolation, and the New Caledonia rivers and streams are home to many endemic species. Moreover, the New Caledonia Barrier Reef, which surrounds Grande Terre and the Isle of Pines (Île des Pins), is the second-largest coral reef in the world after Australia's Great Barrier Reef, reaching a length of 1,500 kilometres (930 mi). Like its terrestrial counterpart, the Caledonian reef system has great species diversity, is home to endangered dugongs (Dugong dugong) , and is an important nesting site for the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) . The island is also a home for vagrant fur seals. The Nautilus is a living-fossil species, common during the age of the dinosaurs, which survives today in the waters surrounding New Caledonia. In January 2002, the French government proposed listing New Caledonia's reefs as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. UNESCO listed New Caledonia Barrier Reef on the World Heritage List under the name The Lagoons of New Caledonia:Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems on 7 July 2008.


    Ecology and politics
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     -
    A creek in southern New Caledonia. Red colours reveal the richness of the ground in iron oxides and nickel.
    Aside from the challenges posed by charting a course for the territory's racial and political life, the current government faces an additional challenge in balancing the needs of the territory's mining-based economy with the protection of its ecologically significant areas. Thanks largely to its mining industry, based primarily on nickel ore, some ecological safeguards have been deemed necessary by special interest groups to ensure the preservation of species in the face of industrial development or ecological exploitation.

    New Caledonia's ecological situation has gradually became known to the world at large. Of note is the recognition of activist Bruno Van Peteghem who was in 2001 awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for his efforts on behalf of the Caledonian ecological protection movement in the face of "serious challenges" from Jacques Lafleur's RPCR party.18 - Following political pressure, ] the government has implemented some modifications to its ecological protection policies – one example being the restoration of the famed Madeleine Waterfalls Preserve (Chutes de la Madeleine). ] These modifications have, however, been deemed insufficient by ecological groups.

    Progress has been made in a few areas in addressing the protection of New Caledonia's ecological diversity from fire, industrial and residential development, unrestricted agricultural activity and mining (such as the judicial revocation of INCO's mining license in June 2006 owing to claimed abuses19 - ).


    Economy
    Economy of New Caledonia
    New Caledonian soils contain a considerable wealth of industrially critical elements and minerals, including about one-quarter of the world's nickel resources.20 - Mining is therefore a significant industry that greatly benefits the territory's economy. However, the country is also home to numerous, critically important ] ancient ecosystems ]. Thus, widely practiced and indiscriminate open-pit mining across much of New Caledonia is claimed to be responsible for deterioration of the territory's natural heritage ].

    Tourism is playing an increasingly important role in the economy of New Caledonia. Most tourists come from France, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea.

    The GDP of New Caledonia in 2007 was 8.8 billion US dollars at market exchange rates, the fourth-largest economy in Oceania after Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. - The GDP per capita was 36,376 US dollars in 2007 (at market exchange rates, not at PPP), lower than in Australia and Hawaii, but higher than in New Zealand. -

    In 2007, exports from New Caledonia amounted to 2.11 billion US dollars, 96.3% of which were mineral products and alloys (essentially nickel ore and ferronickel).21 - Imports amounted to 2.88 billion US dollars.21 - 26.6% of imports came from Metropolitan France, 16.1% from other European countries, 13.6% from Singapore (essentially fuel), 10.7% from Australia, 4.0% from New Zealand, 3.2% from the United States, 3.0% from Japan, and 22.7% from other countries.21 -

     -
    Woman at Noumea market.

    Demography
    The indigenous Melanesian Kanak community represents 44.6% of the whole population (as of the 1996 census),22 - They are no longer a majority, their proportion of the population having declined due to immigration and other factors. The rest of the population is made up of ethnic groups that arrived in New Caledonia in the last 150 years:Europeans (34.5%) (predominantly French, with German, British and Italian minorities), Polynesians (Wallisians, Tahitians) (11.8%), Indonesians (2.6%), Vietnamese (1.4%), Ni-Vanuatu (1.2%), and various other groups (3.9%), Tamils, other South Asians, Berbers, Japanese, Chinese, Fijians, Arabs, West Indian (mostly from other French territories) and a small number of ethnic Africans.22 - Some of this immigration was a direct consequence of various conflicts around the world but in particular of the crumbling of the French colonial empire.

    The Kanak are known officially as Melanesians. Similarly, those whose roots are in French Polynesia are known either as Tahitians (which excludes persons originating in the other archipelagos of French Polynesia) or simply as Polynesians (which would include both Tahitians and Wallisians, as well as many other minor groups). Whites that have lived in New Caledonia for several generations are locally known as Caldoches , whereas newcomers who have immigrated from metropolitan France are called Métros or Métropolitains . The European population also includes some pieds noirs who came after Algeria gained independence from France,23 - some of them prominent in anti-independence politics, including Pierre Maresca, a leader of the RPCR.24 -

    Within the official statistical category "Europeans" no distinction is made between Caledonian-born whites and French-born whites, though it is estimated that approximately two-thirds identify themselves with the Caldoche community while the rest see themselves primarily as French immigrants. There is a significant contingent of people that arrive from France to work for a year or two and others that have come to retire. The Caldoche usually refer to themselves simply as calédoniens and may be either white (mostly French or German) or white with an admixture of Asian, Melanesian or Polynesian ancestry. Caldoche culture has many similarities with Australian and Afrikaner culture. Until very recently the Kanak population held an economically disadvantaged position in New Caledonian society, while wealthy French expatriates formed the top of the socio-economic hierarchy. The Asian and Polynesian inhabitants dominate certain segments of the local economy.

     -
    Kanak women.
    There have been frequent accusations by the pro-independence movement that the French government is attempting to skew the demographic balance between the ethnic communities by clandestinely settling thousands of people from mainland France among the white Caledonians. Censuses are extremely critical to the balance of power in New Caledonia, and the organisation of a new census was regularly postponed after 1996. Eventually the census was carried out in August and September 2004, amidst raging controversies over ethnic questions.

    Due to an intervention by French president Jacques Chirac, questions asking for the ethnicity of people were deleted from the 2004 census, officially because they were deemed to contravene the French Constitution, which states that no distinction based on ethnicity or religion should be made among French citizens. The indigenous Melanesian Kanak leaders, who are extremely sensitive to ethnic balance issues, called for New Caledonians of Kanak ethnicity not to return census forms if questions regarding ethnicity were not asked, threatening to derail the census process.

    Eventually, the stalemate was resolved when the local New Caledonian statistical office (a branch of the national French statistical office INSEE) agreed to ask questions regarding ethnicity. However, it is not known whether questions regarding ethnicity were asked to all residents of New Caledonia, and at any rate no data have been released, leaving the ethnic tables from the 1996 census as the only information on ethnicity currently available.

    According to the 31 August 2004 census, there were 230,789 inhabitants in New Caledonia.2 - This figure has increased to 249,000 as of 1 January 2009 official estimates. -


    CIA World Factbook demographic statistics
    The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

    Population :249,000 (1 January 2009 estimate) -

    Age structure:
    0–14 years:28,4% (male 31 818, female 30 513)
    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.)

    Population growth rate:1.84% (in 2005), 1.91% (yearly average from January 2000 to January 2006)

    Birth rate :17.2 births/1 000 population (in 2005)

    Death rate:4.9 deaths/1 000 population (in 2005)

    Net migration rate :5.62 migrants/1 000 population (in 2005), 5.01 migrants/1 000 population (yearly average between beginning of 2000 and end of 2005

     -
    Kanak houses.
    Sex ratio:
    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.)

    Infant mortality rate: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.)

    Life expectancy at birth:(in 2005)
    total population:75.2 years
    male:71.9 years
    female:78.6 years

    Total fertility rate:2.20 children born/woman (in 2005)

    Nationality:
    noun:New Caledonian(s)
    adjective:New Caledonian

    Ethnic groups:(as of 1996 census) 25 - ) Melanesian 44.6%, European 34.5%, Wallisian 9.1%, Tahitian 2.7%, Indonesian 2.6%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1.2%, other (Filipino) 3.9%

    Religions:Roman Catholicism 60%, Protestantism 30%, other 10%
    See also:

    Bahá'í Faith in New Caledonia
    Islam in New Caledonia
    Languages:French (official), 33 Austronesian languages

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


    Languages
    New Caledonian languages and Loyalty Island languages
    French is the official language of New Caledonia as in the rest of the French Republic. At the 2004 census, 97.0% of people whose age was 14 or older reported that they could speak, read and write French, whereas only 0.97% reported that they had no knowledge of French.26 - At the same census, 37.1% of people whose age was 14 or older reported that they could speak (but not necessarily read or write) one of the 28 indigenous Austronesian languages of New Caledonia (see New Caledonian languages and Loyalty Island languages), whereas 58.7% reported that they had no knowledge of any of these 28 indigenous languages.27 -

    Culture
    Wiki letter w.svg - This section requires expansion.

    Sports
     -
    Flag used at the 2007 South Pacific Games.
    The New Caledonia football team began play in 1951, and was admitted into FIFA in 2004.28 - Prior to joining FIFA, New Caledonia held observer status with the Oceania Football Confederation, and became an official member of the OFC with its FIFA membership. They have won the South Pacific Games five times, most recently in 2007, and have placed third on two occasions in the OFC Nations Cup. Horse Racing is also very popular.

    Images of New Caledonia
     -

    Amédée lighthouse at Nouméa, the world's tallest metal lighthouse

     -

    Xodre Cliffs on Lifou

     -

    Coral reef off Lifou

     -

    Brush countryside in the north, towards Poum

     -

    The famous bandstand of the Place des Cocotiers at Nouméa

     -

    A creek rich in metal oxides in the south of Grande Terre.

     -

    On Ouvéa, 25km of white sand.

     -

    Ouvéa atoll

    See also
    Outline of New Caledonia
    Colonial and Departmental Heads of New Caledonia
    Communications in New Caledonia
    Economy of New Caledonia
    Music of New Caledonia
    Transportation in New Caledonia
    French overseas departments and territories
    Administrative divisions of France
    Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans
    Zealandia
    Melanesia

    Notes
  • ^ a b c d (French) Institut de la statistique et des études économiques de Nouvelle-Calédonie (ISEE). "Bilan Economique et Social 2008 (on page 11)" . isee.nc/pe/bilan2008/bilan2008.pdf
  • ^ a b (French) INSEE, Government of France. "Recensement général de la population en Nouvelle-Calédonie - 2004" . insee.fr/fr/ppp/ir/accueil.asp?page=rpnc04/synt/synthese.htm
  • Previously known officially as the "Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies" (French :Territoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances ), then simply as the "Territory of New Caledonia" (French:Territoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie ), the official French name is now only Nouvelle-Calédonie (Organic Law of 19 March 1999, article 222 IV — see 1). It should be noted that French courts often continue to use the appellation Territoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie.
    "Regions and territories:New Caledonia", BBC News , 11 December 2008
    (French) The phrase "l'histoire de la Calédonie" used by a school kid interviewed by RFO
    (French) The phrase "économie calédonienne" used by the New Caledonian statistical office
    (French) Government of New Caledonia. "Les accords de Nouméa" (PDF) . gouv.nc/static/pages/outils/telechargement/accordsNoumea.pdf
    (French) RFO. "Société :La Nouvelle-Calédonie choisit un hymne et une devise" . nouvellecaledonie.rfo.fr/article424.html
    New Caledonia , p. 13, Leanne Logan and Geert Cole, Lonely Planet, 2001
    New Caledonia , p. 15, Leanne Logan and Geert Cole, Lonely Planet, 2001
  • ^ a b documents.irevues.inist.fr/bitstream/handle/2042/14373/HERMES_2002_32-33_191.pdf?sequence=1
  • "Hasluck:Clearing A Way To Total War" (PDF) . awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/30/chapters/06.pdf
    World War II Pacific Island Guide , p. 71, Gordon L. Rottman, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002
    Voter turnout in the second round of the election as per:
    (French) Minister of the Interior, Government of France. "RESULTATS DE L'ELECTION PRESIDENTIELLE — NOUVELLE CALEDONIE" . interieur.gouv.fr/sections/a_votre_service/resultats-elections/PR2007/000/988/988.html
    Bruno Van Peteghem, Goldman Environmental Prize website
    "Indigenous Kanaks Take On Inco in New Caledonia", MiningWatch Canada, 19 July 2006
    "Nickel gleams again in New Caledonia", Metal Bulletin , 3 December 2001
  • ^ a b c (French) Institut de la statistique et des études économiques de Nouvelle-Calédonie (ISEE). "Bilan économique et social 2007 - Échanges Extérieurs (on page 23)" (PDF) . isee.nc/telechargement/bilan2007.pdf
  • ^ a b (French) Institut de la statistique et des études économiques de Nouvelle-Calédonie (ISEE). "Population totale, selon la communauté par commune et Province de résidence" (XLS) . isee.nc/recenspop/telechargement/ind04.xls
  • Henry Kamm (1988-07-26). "Noumea Journal;On an Island in the Pacific, but Far From at Peace". New York Times . query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE7DC1E3FF935A15754C0A96E948260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all.
    2 dead link -
    (French) INSEE, Government of France. "P9-1 - Population de 14 ans et plus selon la connaissance du français, le sexe, par commune, "zone" et par province de résidence" (XLS) . insee.fr/fr/ppp/ir/rpnc04/dd/excel/rpnc04_P9-1.xls
    (French) INSEE, Government of France. "P10-1 - Population de 14 ans et plus selon la connaissance d'une langue mélanésienne et le sexe, par commune, "zone" et par province de résidence" (XLS) . insee.fr/fr/ppp/ir/rpnc04/dd/excel/rpnc04_P10-1.xls
    General Information and Updated References
    Boyer, S.L. &Giribet, G. (2007):A new model Gondwanan taxon:systematics and biogeography of the harvestman family Pettalidae (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi), with a taxonomic revision of genera from Australia and New Zealand. Cladistics 23 (4):337-361. doi :10.1111/j.1096-0031.2007.00149.x
    Official website (French
    (French) Website for l'Association Endemia:A thorough presentation of New Caledonian biodiversity
    (French) past and current developments of France's overseas administrative divisions like New Caledonia
    New Caledonia awaits decolonisation
    v
    d
    e
     - Overseas departments and territories of France
    Provinces
    Loyalty Islands Province
    North Province
    South Province
    Communes
    Belep
    Bouloupari
    Bourail
    Canala
    Dumbéa
    Farino
    Hienghène
    Houaïlou
    L'Île-des-Pins
    Kaala-Gomen
    Koné
    Kouaoua
    Koumac
    La Foa
    Lifou
    Maré
    Moindou
    Le Mont-Dore
    Nouméa
    Ouégoa
    Ouvéa
    Païta
    Poindimié
    Ponérihouen
    Pouébo
    Pouembout
    Poum
    Poya
    Sarraméa
    Thio
    Touho
    Voh
    Yaté
    New Caledonia General Information and Updated References

    OPT


    Company : OPT
    Website :  OPT

    Phone : 1013 / +687 268200 / (+687) 101 010
    Social Networks Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Youtube
    OPT New Caledonia: OPT New Caledonia - Optimizing Communication. OPT optimizes communication in New Caledonia, offering a wide array of telecom services.

    Vodafone


    Company : Vodafone
    Website :

    Phone : (+687) 15 00 00
    Vodafone New Caledonia: Vodafone New Caledonia - Connecting You to the World. Vodafone connects you to the world in New Caledonia, offering seamless telecom services.

    MobiCaledonie


    Company : MobiCaledonie
    Website :

    Phone : (+687) 30 36 36, +687 27 20 00
    MobiCaledonie New Caledonia: MobiCaledonie New Caledonia - Mobile Solutions Made Easy. MobiCaledonie simplifies mobile solutions for you in New Caledonia.

    Only


    Company : Only
    Website :

    Phone : (+687) 71 16 16
    Only New Caledonia: Only New Caledonia - Your Exclusive Telecom Partner. Only is your exclusive telecom partner, catering to your communication needs.

    SPM Telecom


    Company : SPM Telecom
    Website :

    Phone : (+687) 46 36 36
    SPM Telecom New Caledonia: SPM Telecom New Caledonia - Secure and Premium. SPM Telecom ensures secure and premium telecom services in New Caledonia.

    Canl


    Company : Canl
    Website :

    Phone : (+687) 26 11 11
    Canl New Caledonia: Canl New Caledonia - Connecting Communities. Canl connects communities across New Caledonia with seamless telecom services.

    Vini


    Company : Vini
    Website :

    Phone : (+687) 28 48 48
    Vini New Caledonia: Vini New Caledonia - Your Path to Communication. Vini provides your path to communication in New Caledonia, offering versatile telecom solutions.


    Phones in New Caledonia


    Phones in New Caledonia . (687) Find the best mobile phone companies in New Caledonia. Search smartphones and unlimited plans. NC List by company, city, name, number, website and packages with internet services.
    New Caledonia :

    Mobile Phone Companies


    List of cell phone companies in New Caledonia :

    OPT

    Vodafone

    MobiCaledonie

    Only

    SPM Telecom

    Canl

    Vini

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    These companies offer various plans, including unlimited data, family plans, international plans, and prepaid plans.
    Mobile phone companies in New Caledonia offer a wide range of services and plans to meet the needs of consumers. Whether you need unlimited data, a family plan, an international plan or a prepaid plan, there is a mobile phone company that can meet your needs. It is important to compare the different options available to find the plan that is right for you.
    New Caledonia 687 - Reverse lookup is a service to find the company or customer by phone number. Find dial codes, country code and mobile phones by company and city.
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    French Ministers Visit New Caledonia, With Nickel and the Future on the Agenda The Diplomat
    New Caledonia end 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup™ Campaign with defeat to Iran Oceania Football Confederation