21 30 S, 165 30 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 18,575 sq km
country comparison to the world: 155
land: 18,275 sq km
water: 300 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
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 extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
Natural resources:
nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Land use:
arable land: 0.32%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 99.46% (2005)
Irrigated land:
100 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
cyclones, most frequent from November to March
Environment - current issues:
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
Geography - note:
consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in
the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous
small, sparsely populated islands and atolls
People ::New Caledonia
Population:
227,436 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.8% (male 31,191/female 29,870)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 75,189/female 74,552)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 7,681/female 8,953) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.7 years
male: 28.2 years
female: 29.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.136% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 118
Birth rate:
17.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Death rate:
5.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
Net migration rate:
NA
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
Caledonia (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 65% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 168
male: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.98 years
country comparison to the world: 85
male: 71.99 years
female: 78.12 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.18 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
Nationality:
noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian 44.1%, European 34.1%, Wallisian & Futunian 9%, Tahitian
2.6%, Indonesian 2.5%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 5.2%
(1996 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Languages:
French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2%
male: 96.8%
female: 95.5% (1996 census)
Government ::New Caledonia
Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
conventional short form: New Caledonia
local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
Dependency status:
territorial collectivity of France since 1998
Government type:
NA
Capital:
name: Noumea
geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 3 provinces named Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province
Sud
Independence:
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
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant
substantial autonomy to the islands
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007);
represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since 9 November
2007)
head of government: President of the Government Philippe GOMES
(since 5 June 2009)
cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the
Territorial Congress
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 for a
five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August
2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of
Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held
in 2012)
Legislative branch:
elections: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire
(54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or
Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms) last held 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 10 May 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
UMP 13, Caledonia Together 10, UC 8, UNI 8, AE 6, FLNKS 3, Labor
Party 3, other 3
note: New Caledonia holds two seats in the French Senate; elections
last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held not later than
September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by
party - UMP 2; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French
National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to
be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - UMP 2
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce
Tribunal Court; Children's Court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonia
Together [Philippe GOMES]; Caledonian Union or UC [Charles PIDJOT];
Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI
[Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; Front
Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Labor Party or PT
[Louis Kora UREGEI]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation
or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation
Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Rally for Caledonia or RPC
[Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Didier LEROUX]; The
Rally or UMP [Pierre FROGIER]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance
or UNI; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy ::New Caledonia
Economy - overview:
New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources.
Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and
food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel,
substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15%
of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy.
Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the
recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for
the next several years.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.158 billion (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.3 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
NA%
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,000 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 76
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 8.8%
services: 76.2% (2003)
Labor force:
102,600 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 176
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 20%
services: 60% (2002)
Unemployment rate:
17.1% (2004)
country comparison to the world: 159
Population below poverty line:
NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $996 million
expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2000 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish
Industries:
nickel mining and smelting
Electricity - production:
1.825 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
Electricity - consumption:
1.697 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
Oil - exports:
645.3 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
Oil - imports:
14,430 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 146
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156
Exports:
$1.341 billion (2006)
country comparison to the world: 145
Exports - commodities:
ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
Exports - partners:
France 18.9%, Japan 18.3%, Spain 7.3%, China 6.5%, Belgium 5.4%,
Australia 4.6% (2008)
Imports:
$1.998 billion (2006)
country comparison to the world: 149
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
France 36.6%, Singapore 17.7%, Australia 11.5%, NZ 4.7% (2008)
Debt - external:
$79 million (1998 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59
(2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)
Communications ::New Caledonia
Telephones - main lines in use:
63,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 157
Telephones - mobile cellular:
196,500 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 172
Telephone system:
general assessment: a submarine cable network connection between New
Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, is expected to
significantly increase network capacity and improve high-speed
connectivity and access to international networks
domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone
subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1
Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
.nc
Internet hosts:
22,448 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 101
Internet users:
85,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 159
Transportation ::New Caledonia
Airports:
25 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 130
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Heliports:
8 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 5,622 km (2006)
country comparison to the world: 151
Merchant marine:
total: 2
country comparison to the world: 146
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Noumea
Military ::New Caledonia
Military branches:
no regular military forces; French police and gendarmerie (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 57,738 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 48,288
females age 16-49: 48,959 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,160
female: 2,087 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
NA
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues ::New Caledonia
Disputes - international:
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France
and Vanuatu
page last updated on November 10, 2009
======================================================================
@New Zealand (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::New Zealand
Background:
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840,
their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of
Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while
retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began
the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars
between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples.
The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in
1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New
Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed
by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address
longstanding Maori grievances.
Geography ::New Zealand
Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates:
41 00 S, 174 00 E
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 267,710 sq km
country comparison to the world: 75
land: 267,710 sq km
water: NA
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands,
Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area - comparative:
about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
15,134 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain:
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold,
limestone
Land use:
arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops: 6.92%
other: 87.54% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,850 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
397 cu km (1995)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%)
per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by
invasive species
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living
Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
almost 90% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the
southernmost national capital in the world
People ::New Zealand
Population:
4,213,418 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 124
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.7% (male 447,174/female 424,522)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,404,143/female 1,399,530)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 244,986/female 293,063) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.6 years
male: 35.8 years
female: 37.4 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.935% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Birth rate:
13.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
Death rate:
7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 131
Net migration rate:
2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
Urbanization:
urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 192
male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.36 years
country comparison to the world: 18
male: 78.43 years
female: 82.39 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.1 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,400 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Nationality:
noun: New Zealander(s)
adjective: New Zealand
Ethnic groups:
European 69.8%, Maori 7.9%, Asian 5.7%, Pacific islander 4.4%, other
0.5%, mixed 7.8%, unspecified 3.8% (2001 census)
Religions:
Anglican 14.9%, Roman Catholic 12.4%, Presbyterian 10.9%, Methodist
2.9%, Pentecostal 1.7%, Baptist 1.3%, other Christian 9.4%, other
3.3%, unspecified 17.2%, none 26% (2001 census)
Languages:
English (official), Maori (official), Sign Language (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 19 years
male: 19 years
female: 20 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
6.2% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 38
Government ::New Zealand
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: New Zealand
abbreviation: NZ
Government type:
parliamentary democracy and a Commonwealth realm
Capital:
name: Wellington
geographic coordinates: 41 28 S, 174 51 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in September; ends
first Sunday in April
note: New Zealand is divided into two time zones - New Zealand
standard time (12 hours in advance of UTC), and Chatham Islands time
(45 minutes in advance of New Zealand standard time)
Administrative divisions:
16 regions and 1 territory*; Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury,
Chatham Islands*, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui,
Marlborough, Nelson, Northland, Otago, Southland, Taranaki, Tasman,
Waikato, Wellington, West Coast
Dependent areas:
Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau
Independence:
26 September 1907 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Waitangi Day (Treaty of Waitangi established British sovereignty
over New Zealand), 6 February (1840); ANZAC Day (commemorated as the
anniversary of the landing of troops of the Australian and New
Zealand Army Corps during World War I at Gallipoli, Turkey), 25
April (1915)
Constitution:
consists of a series of legal documents, including certain acts of
the UK and New Zealand parliaments, as well as The Constitution Act
1986, which is the principal formal charter; adopted 1 January 1987,
effective 1 January 1987
Legal system:
based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts
for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952);
represented by Governor General Anand SATYANAND (since 23 August
2006)
head of government: Prime Minister John KEY (since 19 November
2008); Deputy Prime Minister Bill ENGLISH (since 19 November 2008)
cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor general on the
recommendation of the prime minister
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually
appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime
minister appointed by the governor general
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives - commonly called Parliament
(usually 120 seats; 69 members elected by popular vote in
single-member constituencies including 7 Maori constituencies, and
51 proportional seats chosen from party lists; serve three-year
terms)
elections: last held 8 November 2008 (next to be held not later than
27 November 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - NP 44.9%, NZLP 34%,
Green Party 6.7%, NZ First 4%, ACT New Zealand 3.7%, Maori 2.4%,
Progressive 0.9%, UF 0.9%, other 6.6%; seats by party - NP 58, NZLP
43, Green Party 9, ACT New Zealand 5, Maori 5, Progressive 1, UF 1
note: results of 2008 election saw the total number of seats
increase to 122
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Court of Appeal; High Court; note - judges appointed
by the governor general
Political parties and leaders:
ACT New Zealand [Rodney HIDE]; Green Party [Jeanette FITZSIMONS];
Maori Party [Tariana TURIA and Pita SHARPLES]; National Party or NP
[John KEY]; New Zealand First Party or NZ First [Winston PETERS];
New Zealand Labor Party or NZLP [Phil GOFF]; Progressive Party
[James (Jim) ANDERTON]; United Future or UF [Peter DUNNE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Women's Electoral Lobby or WEL
other: apartheid groups; civil rights groups; farmers groups; Maori;
nuclear weapons groups; women's rights groups
International organization participation:
ADB, ANZUS (US suspended security obligations to NZ on 11 August
1986), APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C,
CP, EAS, EBRD, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, PIF,
Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNMIT,
UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roy N. FERGUSON
chancery: 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 328-4800
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5227
consulate(s) general: New York, Santa Monica
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador William P. McCORMICK
embassy: 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington
mailing address: P. O. Box 1190, Wellington; PSC 467, Box 1, APO AP
96531-1034
telephone: [64] (4) 462-6000
FAX: [64] (4) 499-0490
consulate(s) general: Auckland
Flag description:
blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant with
four red five-pointed stars edged in white centered in the outer
half of the flag; the stars represent the Southern Cross
constellation
Government - note:
while not an official symbol, the Kiwi, a small native flightless
bird, represents New Zealand
Economy ::New Zealand
Economy - overview: