New Caledonia (French:Nouvelle-Caldonie) 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), the Isle of Pines (Ile Des Pins) and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls. Analysts say any new referendum in New Caledonia will be closely monitored by its Pacific neighbors big and small. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. The plan faltered as violence escalated. The New Caledonia Handball team won the Oceania Handball Nations Cup in 2008 held in Wellington, New Zealand. The North and South Provinces are on the New Caledonian mainland, while the Loyalty Islands Province is a series of three islands off the east coast of mainland. [10] There is also a community of about 2,000[10] pieds noirs, descended from European settlers in France's former North African colonies;[101] some of them are prominent in anti-independence politics, including Pierre Maresca, a leader of the RPCR. New Caledonia profile - BBC News The other self-reported communities were Wallisians and Futunians (8.3% of the total population, up from 8.2% at the 2014 census), Indonesians who are from the Javanese ethnic group (1.4% of the total population, the same as in 2014),[96] Tahitians (2.0% of the total population, down from 2.1% at the 2014 census), Ni-Vanuatu (0.9%, down from 1.0% at the 2014 census), Vietnamese (0.8%, down from 0.9% at the 2014 census), and other Asians (primarily ethnic Chinese; 0.4% of the total population, the same as in 2014). New Caledonia Says 'Non' to Independence - The New York Times 1. It includes the island of New Caledonia (the Grande Terre [Mainland]), where the capital, Nouma, is located; the Loyalty Islands; the Blep Islands; and the le des Pins. Some, such as Neogalaxias, exist only in small areas. [2] The nominal GDP per capita was US$34,780 (at market exchange rates) in 2019. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. As of 2018, only about 30 personnel in the regiment were locally recruited. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. [146], Horse racing is also very popular in New Caledonia, as are women's cricket matches.[147]. [76] The combination of the exceptional biodiversity of New Caledonia and its threatened status has made it one of the most critical biodiversity hotspots on Earth. Ultrabasic serpentine rock forms a continuous plateau over most of the southern third of the island, rising to 5,308 feet (1,617 metres) at Mount Humboldt, and continues along the west coast as a series of discrete mountain masses. Its sound is similar to the bark of a dog. The cigar-shaped main island is some 30 miles (50 km) wide and 310 miles (500 km) long. "Soyons unis, devenons frres" is officially a national anthem but is generally used only on regal and viceregal occasions. [21] To work the mines the French imported labourers from neighbouring islands and from the New Hebrides, and later from Japan, the Dutch East Indies, and French Indochina. New Caledonia - Travel guide at Wikivoyage [31] In the 2018 referendum, 56.7% of voters chose to remain in France. New Caledonia - The World Factbook [11], In 1946, New Caledonia became an overseas territory. Being in the South Pacific, the weather in New Caledonia is beautiful most of the time. [78] Progress has been made in a few areas in addressing the protection of New Caledonia's ecological diversity from fire, industrial and residential development, unrestricted agricultural activity and mining (such as the judicial revocation of INCO's mining licence in June 2006 owing to claimed abuses).[79]. ], New Caledonia's main tertiary education institution is the University of New Caledonia (Universit de la Nouvelle-Caldonie), which was founded in 1993 and comes under the supervision of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. [10] The first settlements were concentrated around the coast and date back to the period between c. 1100 BCE to 200 CE. The Grand Quay has a 1,450-foot- (442-metre-) long frontage. [citation needed], Meanwhile, in March 1942, with the assistance of Australia,[23] New Caledonia became an important Allied base,[21] and the main South Pacific Fleet base of the United States Navy in the South Pacific moved to Nouma in 19421943. [6], New Caledonia has a land area of 18,576km2 (7,172sqmi) divided into three provinces. [38], For 25 years, the party system in New Caledonia was dominated by the anti-independence The RallyUMP. La Tontouta International Airport is 50km (31mi) northwest of Nouma, and connects New Caledonia with the airports of Paris, Tokyo, Sydney, Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Osaka, Papeete, Nadi, Wallis and Port Vila. [26], The European and Polynesian populations gradually increased in the years leading to the nickel boom of 19691972, and the indigenous Kanak Melanesians became a minority, though they were still the largest ethnic group. [151] Most internal air services are operated by the International carrier Aircalin. It is the surviving member of monotypic family Rhynochetidae, order Eurypygiformes.[88]. Although the niaouli grows best in wet soils up to an elevation of 2,000 feet (610 metres), it also extends onto well-drained slopes and crests and forms the main species in the closed swamp forests of the Diahot valley. Different forms of rainforest range from those growing on coral platforms, as in the Loyalty Islands, to montane forests above 3,000 feet (900 metres) on the main island. High Commissioner (for France): Louis Le Franc; President of the Government (for New Caledonia): Louis Mapou, https://www.britannica.com/place/New-Caledonia-French-unique-collectivity-Pacific-Ocean, Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - New Caledonia, New Caledonia - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Macron promotes French interests on a trip to South Pacific where US-China rivalry is intensifying. [9], As trade in sandalwood declined, it was replaced by a new business enterprise, "blackbirding", a euphemism for taking Melanesian or Western Pacific Islanders from New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, New Hebrides, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands into slavery, indentured or forced labour in the sugarcane plantations in Fiji and Queensland by various methods of trickery and deception. [75] The biodiversity is caused by Grande Terre's central mountain range, which has created a variety of niches, landforms and micro-climates where endemic species thrive. The archipelago is divided into three provinces: New Caledonia is further divided into 33 communes (municipalities). [105] No questions regarding the knowledge of French were asked in the 2014 and 2019 censuses due to the now almost universal knowledge of French. ; New Caledonia ranks number 185 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population. The result was that 53.26% of voters chose to remain with France. It is very common on acid ground, and grows about one metre per year on the east coast, usually on fallow ground or in forest clearings. Female Male [47][48] Prior to 2022, the frigate Vendmiaire operated the Alouette III helicopter. At the last census in 2019, New Caledonia had a population of 271,407. [11] By 1953, French citizenship had been granted to all New Caledonians, regardless of ethnicity. Includes country demographics, geography, government, economy, telecommunications, transportation, military, and transnational issues. The race is organised by the Comite Cycliste New Caledonia. [69] The west coast, with its large savannahs and plains suitable for farming, is a drier area. [131], The Mw Ka is a 12-metre (39ft) totem pole commemorating the French annexation of New Caledonia, and was inaugurated in 2005. [124] The trade deficit in goods and services stood at 3.11 billion US dollars in 2011. The wish, legally non-binding, proved controversial. The lagoon and the surrounding New Caledonia Barrier Reef was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008 for its exceptional beauty and marine biodiversity. [40], Kanak people have recourse to customary authorities regarding civil matters such as marriage, adoption, inheritance, and some land issues. [81] Also, of the 35 known species of Araucaria, 13 are endemic to New Caledonia. Want to know more about New Caledonia? Visiting Fellow in Research, School of Pacific and Asian Studies, Australian National University, Canberra. In May 1941, they sailed to Australia and boarded the RMS Queen Elizabeth for the onward voyage to Africa. [39], The Armed Forces of New Caledonia (French: Forces armes de Nouvelle-Caldonie, or FANC) include about 2,000 soldiers, mainly deployed in Koumac, Nanda, Tontouta, Plum, and Nouma. The average temperature hovers around 20-27C year-round and there's an average of 345 sunshine days annually. [11] The last cyclone affecting New Caledonia was Cyclone Niran, in March 2021. The decision to wish for the use of two flags has been a constant battleground between the two sides and led the coalition government to collapse in February 2011. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Netflix Top 10 - By Country: New Caledonia the first Grand Slam of the year. Following the timeline set by the Nouma Accord that stated a vote must take place by the end of 2018, the groundwork was laid for a referendum on full independence from France at a meeting chaired by the French Prime Minister douard Philippe on 2 November 2017, to be held by November 2018. The 3,000 millimetres (120in) of rainfall recorded in Galarino are three times the average of the west coast. New Caledonia CO2 emissions In this section Per capita: how much CO2 does the average person emit? Of the 44 indigenous species of gymnosperms, 43 are endemic, including the only known parasitic gymnosperm (Parasitaxus usta). New Caledonia - Summary | Climate Change Knowledge Portal The islands are picture-postcard perfect with their paradise beaches. [128] A trend reversal and a recovery in demand have been recorded early in the second half of 2009, allowing a 2.0% increase in the local metal production.

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