Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
19 (2022 est.)
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
56,000 (2022 est.)
Communications: 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
Communications: Internet country code
.nc
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
82.01% (2017 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
16 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
46,000 (2021 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
92 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
263,000 (2022 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
coconuts, vegetables, fruits, pork, beef, maize, eggs, bananas, yams, oranges (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$1.993 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$1.995 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$1.804 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$1.3 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$1.119 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$654.237 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
110.306 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
89.8502 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
89.8243 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
107.553 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
107.807 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
105.633 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
101.047 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
106.589 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
104.711 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
100.880 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
113.474 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
110.347 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
110.306 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
iron alloys, nickel, nickel ore, processed crustaceans, shellfish (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$2.080 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$1.977 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$1.579 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$1.681 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$1.927 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$2.077 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$1.79 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$1.8 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$1.92 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$1.480 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$1.655 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$999.8 million (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
21% (2017 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
23.5% (2017 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
65.6% (2017 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-37.9% (2017 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
27.9% (2017 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
-0.1% (2017 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
1.8% (2019 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
22.3% (2019 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
65.2% (2019 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$10.129 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, coal, cars, aircraft, packaged medicine (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$4.492 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$3.668 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$3.382 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$3.479 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$3.771 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$2.48 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$2.1 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$2.26 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$3.377 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$3.389 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$2.451 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
0.57% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
0.58% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
-0.5% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
0.6% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
3.7% (2022 est.)
Economy: Labor force
130,800 (2024 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2014
6.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$8.678 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$8.642 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$8.469 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
0.40% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
-1.40% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-2.40% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
-2.10% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
3.50% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
2.80% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
-13.50% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$33,500 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$35,000 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$724.2 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$720.8 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$612.9 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
6.6% of GDP (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
6.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
6.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
10.88% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
13.56% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
11.57% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
10.71% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
10.92% (2023 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024
10.99% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
35.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
30.2% (2024 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
32.7% (2024 est.)
Energy: Coal: consumption
1.026 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
1.001 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: proven reserves
2 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
73.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
17.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
7.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: wind
1.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
3.02 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
1.174 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
66.3 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
17,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
2.312 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
2.575 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
4.887 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Environment: Environmental issues
preservation of coral reefs; prevention of invasive species; limiting erosion caused by nickel mining and forest fires
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
10.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 9.5% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
48.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
41.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
67.95% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
108,200 tons (2024 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Geography: Area: land
18,275 sq km
Geography: Area: water
300 sq km
Geography: Coastline
2,254 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Mont Panie 1,628 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Pacific Ocean 0 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
21 30 S, 165 30 E
Geography: 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
Geography: Irrigated land
100 sq km (2012)
Geography: Land boundaries: total
0 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
10.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 0.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 9.5% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
48.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
41.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Map references
Oceania
Geography: Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
cyclones, most frequent from November to March volcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active
Geography: Population distribution
most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea
Geography: Terrain
coastal plains with interior mountains
Government: Administrative divisions
3 provinces; Province Iles (Islands Province), Province Nord (North Province), and Province Sud (South Province)
Government: Capital: 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
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
22 16 S, 166 27 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship
see France
Government: Constitution: amendment process
French constitution amendment procedures apply
Government: Constitution: history
4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in the Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998)
Government: Country name: conventional short form
New Caledonia
Government: Country name: etymology
the name came from British explorer Captain James COOK in 1774 and uses the Latin name for Scotland, Caledonia
Government: Country name: local long form
Territoire des Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances
Government: Country name: local short form
Nouvelle-Calédonie
Government: Dependency status
special collectivity of France
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
none (overseas territory of France)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US
none (overseas territory of France)
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by High Commissioner Jacques BILLANT (since 3 May 2025)
Government: Executive branch: 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
Government: Executive branch: 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)
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
2026
Government: Executive branch: head of government
President of the Government Alcide PONGA (since 8 January 2025)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
8 July 2021
Government: 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
Government: International organization participation
ITUC (NGOs), PIF, SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WMO
Government: 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)
Government: Judicial branch: judge selection and term of office
judge appointment and tenure based on France's judicial system
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Legal system
civil law system based on French civil law
Government: Legislative branch: electoral system
proportional representation
Government: Legislative branch: expected date of next election
December 2025
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
unicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
Territorial Congress (Congrès du Territoire)
Government: Legislative branch: most recent election date
5/12/2019
Government: Legislative branch: number of seats
54 (indirectly elected)
Government: Legislative branch: 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)
Government: Legislative branch: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch: term in office
5 years
Government: National anthem(s): history
official anthem, as a self-governing French territory
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Claude-Joseph ROUGET de Lisle
Government: 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
Government: National color(s)
grey, red
Government: National heritage: selected World Heritage Site locales
Lagoons of New Caledonia
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
1 (natural); note - excerpted from the France entry
Government: National holiday
Fête de la Fédération, 14 July (1790)
Government: National symbol(s)
flèche faîtière (native rooftop adornment), kagu bird
Government: 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)
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Introduction: 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.
Military and Security: 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)
Military and Security: Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Territorial Directorate of the National Police of New Caledonia (DTPN), Gendarmerie of New Caledonia (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
20.7% (male 32,238/female 30,858)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
68.4% (male 104,825/female 103,349)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
10.8% (2024 est.) (male 14,326/female 18,571)
People and Society: Birth rate
13.6 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Currently married women (ages 15-49)
46.4% (2019 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
16.2 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
6.2 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
46.2 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
30 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: 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.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
0.89 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
3.9 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
5.8 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
4.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
People and Society: Languages: major-language sample(s)
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
81.4 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
76.5 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
198,000 NOUMEA (capital) (2018)
People and Society: Median age: female
35.1 years
People and Society: Median age: male
33.5 years
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
New Caledonian
People and Society: Net migration rate
3.54 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Physician density
0.24 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
People and Society: Population
292,639 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea
People and Society: Population growth rate
0.95% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
154,576
People and Society: Population: male
153,036
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.04 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.01 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
0.77 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
1.96 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
67.95% (2024 est.)
Transportation: Airports
21 (2025)
Transportation: Heliports
2 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 17
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
23 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Baie de Kouaoua, Baie Ugue, Noumea
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
0
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
1
Transportation: Ports: small
1
Transportation: Ports: total ports
3 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
2
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.