New Caledonia - Country Code 687
IDD Code: 00
Country Code: 687
ISO: NC
ISO3: NCL
Helpful Information About New Caledonia
Time
Thursday, November 21, 2024
Capital: Nouméa
Time Zone
UTC+11:00
Time Difference
Nouméa, New Caledonia is ()
Daylight Savings Time
New Caledonia does not follow DST
Weather
Country Map
Country Flag
About New Caledonia Country NameNew Caledonia
ContinentOceania
Lat/Long-20.90430000, 165.61804200
BackgroundSettled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island became a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct a referendum by November 2018 to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.
Population275,355 (July 2016 est.)
LanguagesFrench (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
ReligionsRoman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Ethnic GroupsKanak 40.3%, European 29.2%, Wallisian, Futunian 8.7%, Tahitian 2%, Indonesian 1.6%, Vietnamese 1%, Ni-Vanuatu 0.9%, other 16.2% (2009 est.)
Economy
EconomyNew Caledonia has 11% of the world's nickel reserves, representing the second largest reserves on the planet. 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.
During 2009-10, France sent more development assistance to New Caledonia than to any of its other overseas territories. In October 2014, French Prime Minister Manuel VALLS confirmed financial support to New Caledonia totaling $500 million for the period 2016-20. The new government, which inherited a $112 million deficit in 2013, is expected to focus on bringing the territory’s budget back into balance.
With the gradual increase in the production of two new nickel plants in 2015, average production of metallurgical goods stood at a record level of 94 thousand tons. However, the sector is exposed to the high volatility of nickel prices. In April 2016, PM VALLS committed $180 million to support New Caledonia’s main nickel company, SLN.
During 2009-10, France sent more development assistance to New Caledonia than to any of its other overseas territories. In October 2014, French Prime Minister Manuel VALLS confirmed financial support to New Caledonia totaling $500 million for the period 2016-20. The new government, which inherited a $112 million deficit in 2013, is expected to focus on bringing the territory’s budget back into balance.
With the gradual increase in the production of two new nickel plants in 2015, average production of metallurgical goods stood at a record level of 94 thousand tons. However, the sector is exposed to the high volatility of nickel prices. In April 2016, PM VALLS committed $180 million to support New Caledonia’s main nickel company, SLN.
GDP$15.54 billion (2014 est.)
CurrencyFranc
Communications
Internet TLD.nc
Internet Users201,000
Land Lines92,000
Mobile Phones246,000
Broadcast MediaThe publicly owned French Overseas Network (RFO), which operates in France's overseas departments and territories, broadcasts over the RFO Nouvelle Caledonie TV and radio stations; a small number of privately owned radio stations also broadcast (2008)