Travel Information >> New Caledonia
>> New Coledonia(Overview)
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New Coledonia(Overview)
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New Caledonia
Country Profile
Clans and café au laît; blackbirding and barrier reefs; Melanesian massacres and menus du jour - New Caledonia well exemplifies the expression that one person's bread is another's pain. France has its toes in hard in this part of the world, and sent in the marines more than once last century to keep the colonials down on the farm.
The people of New Caledonia - the Caldoches, Métros and Kanaks - staggered out of the troubles when New Caledonia was contender for the 'basket case of the Pacific' prize. They are now barrelling down the future with, if not optimism, at least one eye on putting an end to the senseless rounds of violence of the 1980s. Options for travellers are vast, from diving in pristine reefs to dining out à la français, from trekking in unspoilt rainforest to partying the night away at Club Med. The people may not be the most friendly in the Pacific, but with a nod to local custom, an open mind and a good sense of humour, a trip to New Caledonia will be unforgettable.
New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France, consists of the island of New Caledonia and a number of smaller islands and island groups. The dependencies include the Loyalty Islands, the Isle of Pines, the Chesterfield Islands, and the Huon Islands.
About 43 per cent of the population is composed of Melanesians-Kanaks- and about 37 per cent is European, mainly French-Caldoches. The remaining inhabitants include Vietnamese, Polynesians, and Indonesians. Most of the inhabitants are Christian, predominantly Roman Catholic.
The economy of New Caledonia is based on a variety of activities, including agriculture, livestock raising, fishing and forestry, tourism, and, most important, the mining of nickel, iron, and manganese ore. The island of New Caledonia was sighted in 1774 by the British navigator James Cook, who gave it the Roman name for Scotland.
Political System
New Caledonia was an Overseas Territory of France until May 1998. In May 1998, Loyalists and Independentists signed the Noumea Accords for an amendment to the French National Constitution, which has since been approved by the French National Assembly and Senate. It then became a French Overseas Country, and was granted a new status of full internal autonomy, to be accompanied by massive State funded economic development over the next 15 to 20 years. The Country remains divided into three provinces (North, South and Loyalty Islands) administered by Provincial Assemblies elected by direct universal suffrage. The Assemblies rule with limited self-governing powers.
The first New Caledonian self governing Assembly was elected in 1999, and acquired a transfer of most State competencies in the fields of economic development, taxation system, external relations, environment, immigration, labour, fishing rights, etc...France retains responsibility for justice, education, defense, police and money.
The French High Commissioner (Thierry Lataste) is the Representative of the State, with overall responsibility for state affairs, in charge of national interests.
The head of state is the President of France (Jacques Chirac). The Ruling Party is the Rassemblement Populaire pour la Caledonie dans la Republique (RPCR) with at its head, Mr Jacques Lafleur who is also Deputy of New Caledonia and represents the country at the French
Economy
The GDP growth rate has fluctuated but has shown modest growth in recent years. The New Caledonian economy is restricted by being isolated from the population base and markets of Asia, the USA and EU.
The last 2 years of political uncertainty, some long industrial disputes affecting key sectors of the economy and recent worldwide and Asian economic recessions have affected the economy - with its close links to the nickel industry, but the latter sector is recovering fast and several large industrial smelting projects planned over the next 3 years are promising.
The Country is highly sensitive to global downturns and increased diversification is necessary. Although limited at present, recent activities in other sectors such as fishing, aquaculture and tourism are a valuable addition to the economy.
Mining
New Caledonia is the world’s third largest producer of nickel. As such, nickel is New Caledonia’s major source of wealth representing nearly 90% of exports.
Current technology used for processing of the country's oxidized ore requires high consumption of imported energy, increasing dependence on the world economy. SLN-Eramet group manufactures and exports most of its metallurgic production to France and the rest to Western Europe, America and Asia. Most of the unrefined ore is exported to Japan and Australia. The country’s mining industry remains dynamic, and boosted by recent price increase as worlwide demand recovers and expand.
Large groups such as Inco, Falconbridge, QNI and Phelps Dodge are in the process of planning for significant investment into huge new nickel smelting projects in New Caledonia.
Agriculture
An overall improvement in the agricultural sector has led to a decrease in imports. Beef production has increased, and venison production is expanding, with exports of live animals since 1991. New Caledonia's copra and squash production is increasing. Coffee production continues to contract, while vegetable production is showing moderate improvement, and some fruit producers are now exporting.
Aquaculture
Aquaculture is developing, with 1,905 tonnes of prawns produced in 1999, of which substantial tonnage is exported to France, Australia and Japan. Export earnings for prawns increased by 50 % over the last 2 years. Aquaculture offers real economic opportunities for New Caledonia with a production capacity that could increase to several thousand tonnes in coming years to meet worldwide growing demand.
Tourism
Tourism is the second largest sector of activity in New Caledonia, but it showed a stagnation of tourist numbers in 1998 at 103,835, followed by a decline in 1999 with 99,735 (-3.9%). Japan remains the bulk provider of visitors with 31,017 in 1999 (-12.4%), followed by France with 29,500 (+2.4%), Australia with 14,567 (-5.7%), New Zealand with 7,090 (-1.0%). Other countries contributed with 17,561 visitors in 1999 (+3.4%).
Trade Policy
New Caledonia's foreign trade policy is now the responsibility of the local Government. As an associate member of the EU since 1991, the Country is not bound by EU internal legislation, but is subject to the dispositions relevant to its associate member status. The Government has the power to enforce quantitative restrictions to protect local industry. Half the Country's taxation revenue comes from import duties and taxes. Since 1992, liberalisation policies have increased the amounts and types of goods and services imported without specific restriction from non-EU countries. Currently, 90% of goods and services can be freely imported. Free trade policies will continue to be implemented as WTO required.
Distribution
Efforts to open up isolated regions of the country are being concentrated on road development and increased air and sea servicing. In the Northern Province, the Kone Tiwaka Road is almost completed and will link the east and west coasts. Maritime links to the Loyalty Islands have improved with port upgrades and new ferry services. A deep sea port is to be constructed in the North to cater for industrial mining, fishing and poultry projects.
Factsheet:
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Area: total area: 19,060 km² land area: 18,760 km² comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundries: 0 km
Coastline: 2,254 km
Maritime Claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains
Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper
Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 14% forest and woodland: 51% other: 35%
Irrigated land: NA km²
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: typhoons most frequent from November to March international agreements: NA
There are regional information on New Caledonia, as follow:
1. Grande Terre Eastcoast
1.1 Noumea Public Transport
2. Ile des Pines
3. Lifou
4. Ouvea
5. Maré
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