New Caledonia
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| Quick Facts | |
| Capital | Noumea |
| Government | NA |
| Currency | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 |
| Area | total: 19,060 sq km water: 485 sq km land: 18,575 sq km |
| Population | 207,858 (July 2002 est.) |
| Language | French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects |
| Religion | Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% |
New Caledonia (French:Nouvelle-Caledonie) is a dependent overseas territory of France lying in the western Pacific Ocean, in the Coral Sea, to the east of Australia and west of Vanuatu. The territory consists of the main island of Grand Terre, the archipelago of the Loyalty Islands (Iles Loyaute), and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls.
New Caledonia offers stunning beaches, mountaintop fondue in chalets, camping, amazing snorkelling and diving, and fabulous French food.
Contents |
Regions
New Caledonia includes:
- Grand Terre - The main island. It is one of the largest islands in the Pacific. The barrier reef lying off New Caledonia is second only to the Great Barrier reef in size.
The main tourist destinations are:
- Île de Pins - Was one of the few places in the Pacific with trees tall and sturdy enough to provide replacement masts for ships.
- Loyalty Islands (Iles Loyaute)
Cities
- Noumea is the capital city.
- Hiéngène, on the Grande Terre
Ports and harbors
Other destinations
Understand
The people of New Caledonia are split into three major groups:
- the native Kanaks
- French citizens working in Noumea
- descendents of French prisoners
There is a general move towards independence in New Caledonia and it was decided in the Nouméa Accord that the territorial Congress will have the right to call for a referendum on independence after 2014, at a time of its choosing.
History
Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864.
The islands have been an overseas territory of France since 1956.
The 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated. 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)
Climate
Tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid. The islands are subject to tropical cyclones, most frequent from November to March.
Geography
The main island of New Caledonia is one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean and its terrain consist of coastal plains with interior mountains.
- highest point
- Mont Panie 1,628 m
Grand Terre is rich in minerals, and is an important source of many ores. There is a mountainous interior green with subtropial foliage. The outlying islands are coral based, and have stunning white sand, and sport palm trees.
Economy
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.
Get in
By plane
Air France provides direct flights from Paris. Regular flights from Tokyo, as New Caledonia is very popular with the Japanese. Flights from various Pacific nations, New Zealand, Australia, and SouthEast Asia.
By boat
Noumea is a popular port of call for people sailing around the Pacific.
Get around
See
- Tjibaou Center
- Botanical garden
- wandering along the waterfront in Noumea - Baie des Citrons and Anse Vata.
Do
- snorkelling, diving, windsurfing
- Îlot Canard just outside the Anse Vata is a good place for beginners
- Aguille de Prony is an amazing underwater structure in the Prony bay south of Noumea
- relaxing, tanning, and generally doing nothing
- Baie des Citrons and the Anse Vata are common beaches at the Noumea peninsula
- Îlot Maitre has a resort. This can be reached by taxi boat from the Anse Vata, and by boat from the Baie de Mouselle
- Numerous other tourist resorts can be found throughout the Grande Terre and Île des Pins
- eating French and local cuisine
- hiking, camping
- Parc Rivière Bleu in the Yaté region south of Noumea
- Joining a hiking group is generally a good idea, since you then can really enjoy the great scenery without fear of getting lost, or having to stick with conventional tourist spots....
Talk
The official language is French, and it is difficult to find English speakers outside of Noumea. In Noumea, French, English, and Japanese are widely spoken at hotels, restaurants, and shops.
Buy
The cartoon series La Brousse en Folie and Le Sentier Des Hommes by Bernard Berger will give you an insight in the local culture and tradition. The comics are written in French, the former imitating the local accent and grammar (or lack thereof)
Other than that, plenty of conventional souvenirs shops may be found throughout Noumea.
Eat
- Fruitbats
- Coconut crabs
- Bougna, a traditional meal among the native Melanesians, which consists of some form of meat, pork, chicken, fruitbat, crab, etc, along with roots such as yams and sweet potatoes. This is wrapped in banana leaves and cooked under hot rocks heated in a fire.
Work
Voluntary service: Volontariat Civil à l'Aide Technique (VCAT). Conditions: you must be French or from another EU-member state or a country belonging to the European Economic Area. You must be over 18 and under 28 years old (inclusive). You must not have had your civic rights revoked by a court or have been convicted of certain offences. VCAT cow dung
Stay safe
Stay healthy
New Caledonia is fairly safe, however when snorkelling, one should avoid direct contact with poisonous sea urchins, as well as avoid sustaining scrapes from coral structures, which tends to cause irritations and swelling. A seasnake known locally as the Tricot Rayé has a potentially lethal venom, but the snake is not aggressive when left alone, and only attacks when threatened.
Iodine or a similar disinfectant is invaluable to fight off small infections, which quite commonly occurs in most sores and scratches. Some mosquitos carry the dengue virus, if you are close to areas with much mosquitos, use of mosquito repellent may be wise. Consult the nearest tourist information office or medical clinic (dispansaire) for more information.
Respect
Contact
External Links
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- Geographic coordinates
- 21 30 S, 165 30 E
- Area
- total: 19,060 sq km
water: 485 sq km
land: 18,575 sq km - Area - comparative
- slightly smaller than New Jersey
- Land boundaries
- 0 km
- Coastline
- 2,254 km
- Natural resources
- nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
- Land use
- arable land: 0.38%
permanent crops: 0.33%
other: 99.29% (1998 est.) - Irrigated land
- 160 sq km (1991)
People
- Nationality
- noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian - Ethnic groups
- Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
- Languages
- French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Government
- Country name
- conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
- 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 Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud
- Constitution
- 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
- Flag description
- the flag of France is used
Economy
- Industries
- nickel mining and smelting
- Agriculture - products
- vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products
- Exports - commodities
- ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
- Imports - commodities
- transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice
- Currency
- Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003
- Currency code
- XPF
- Exchange rates
- 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
- Fiscal year
- calendar year
Communications
- Telephones - main lines in use
- 47,000 (1997)
- Telephones - mobile cellular
- 13,040 (1998)
- Telephone system
- general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) - Radio broadcast stations
- AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
- Radios
- 107,000 (1997)
- Television broadcast stations
- 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)
- Televisions
- 52,000 (1997)
- Internet country code
- .nc
- Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
- 1 (2000)
- Internet users
- 24,000 (2001)
Transportation
- Highways
- total: 4,825 km
paved: 2,287 km
unpaved: 2,538 km (1999) - Airports
- 29 (2001)
- Airports - with paved runways
- total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 2 (2002) - Airports - with unpaved runways
- total: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 9 (2002) - Heliports
- 5 (2002)
Transnational Issues
- Disputes - international
- Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by both France and Vanuatu
