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NAVIGATION
Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
conventional short form: New Caledonia local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances |
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Dependency status:
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overseas territory of France since 1956 |
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Government type:
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NA |
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Capital:
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Noumea |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014 |
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National holiday:
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Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
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Constitution:
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28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
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Legal system:
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the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3 July 2002)
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note - last election held 28 November 2002 when Pierre FROGIER was reelected head of government: President of the Government Pierre FROGIER (since 5 April 2001) cabinet: Consultative Committee |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1 note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA |
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Judicial branch:
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Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Raphael MAPOU]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (overseas territory of France) |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (overseas territory of France) |
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Flag description:
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the flag of France is used |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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New Caledonia has about 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 small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. Strikes in the building industry in 2001, which lasted four months, adversely affected many other sectors of the economy. French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are being transferred to local ownership. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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2.1% (2000 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 5%
industry: 30% services: 65% (1997 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.3% (2000 est.) |
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Labor force:
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79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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19% (1996) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $861.3 million
expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.) |
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Industries:
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nickel mining and smelting |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-0.6% (1996) |
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Electricity - production:
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1.565 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 78%
hydro: 22% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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1.455 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products |
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Exports:
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$400 million f.o.b. (2000) |
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Exports - commodities:
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ferronickels, nickel ore, fish |
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Exports - partners:
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Japan 25.8%, France 18.8%, Taiwan 12%, Australia 8.2%, US 3.0% (1999) |
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Imports:
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$1 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
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Imports - commodities:
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transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice |
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Imports - partners:
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France 50.2%, Australia 15.1%, Singapore 5.9%, New Zealand 5.2%, Japan 3.7% (1999) |
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Debt - external:
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$79 million (1998 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$880 million annual subsidy from France |
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Currency:
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Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 |
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Currency code:
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XPF |
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Exchange rates:
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Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |