For the former North American fur-trading district, see New Caledonia (Canada). Main article History of British Columbia New Caledonia was the name given to a district of the Hudson's Bay Company that comprised the territory largely For other uses, see Caledonia (disambiguation).

Nouvelle-Calédonie New Caledonia
Flag Emblem
Anthem: La Marseillaise
Capital (and largest city)		Nouméa
Official languages		French
Government		Overseas territory of France
-	President of France	Nicolas Sarkozy
-	President of the Government of New Caledonia	Harold Martin
-	High Commissioner	Yves Dassonville
Overseas territory of France		since 1853
Area
-	Total	18,575 km² (154th) 7,359 sq mi
Population
-	Jan. French flag is still in use The only Flag in official use in New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France, is the French tricolor The emblem of New Caledonia consists of a Nautilus shell in the foreground the symbol behind it is a flèche faitière, a kind of Arrow A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's " La Marseillaise " (la maʁsɛˡjɛz in English The Song of Marseille) is the National anthem of France. For the former North American fur-trading district see New Caledonia (Canada, and for the Scottish colony in Panama see Darien scheme. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The President of the French Republic (Président de la République française colloquially referred to in English as the President of France, is France 's elected Nicolas Sarkozy (pronounced, The politics of New Caledonia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic French Overseas country, whereby the President Harold Martin (b 6 April 1954, Nouméa, New Caledonia) is a French politician and since August 7 2007 President of the Government The French Overseas Departments and Territories ( French: départements d'outre-mer and territoires d'outre-mer or DOM-TOM) consist broadly of Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare different Orders of magnitude and geographical regions we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology  1, 2008 estimate	244,600[1] (176th)
-	Aug. List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. /Sept.  2004 census	230,789[2]
-	Density	13/km² (200th) 34/sq mi
GDP (nominal)		2006 estimate
-	Total	$6. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² 813 billion[3] (not ranked)
-	Per capita	$28,568 [3] (not ranked)
HDI (2003)		n/a (unranked) (n/a)
Currency		CFP franc (XPF)
Time zone		(UTC+11)
Internet TLD		.nc
Calling code		+687

New Caledonia^[4] (French: Nouvelle-Calédonie; popular names: Kanaky, Le caillou), is a "sui generis collectivity" (in practice an overseas territory) of France, made up of a main island (Grande Terre), the Loyalty Islands, and several smaller islands. PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product Per capita at Nominal values, the The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The CFP franc (called the franc in everyday use is the Currency used in the French overseas possessions of French Polynesia, New Caledonia ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Sui generis (English pronunciation ( IPA) /ˌsuːiˈdʒɛnərɪs/ roughly "SOO-ee JEN-a-ris" Latin pronunciation /ˌsuːiˈgeneris/ is a Neo-Latin The French Overseas Departments and Territories ( French: départements d'outre-mer and territoires d'outre-mer or DOM-TOM) consist broadly of This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. An island (ˈaɪlənd or isle (/ˈaɪl/ is any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water in two dimensions above high tide and isolated from other significant The Loyalty Islands (Îles Loyauté are an Archipelago in the Pacific. It is located in the region of Melanesia in the southwest Pacific. A subregion is a conceptual unit which derives from a larger Region or Continent and is usually based on location Melanesia (from Greek: μέλας black, νῆσος island) means "islands of the black-skinned people" The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions At about half the size of Taiwan, it has a land area of 18,575. Taiwan ( Taiwanese: Tâi-oân/Tāi-oân (historically 大灣/台員/大員/台圓/大圓/台窩灣 is an Island in East Asia. 5 square kilometres (7,172 sq mi). Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The population was 244,600 inhabitants as of January 2008 official estimates. ^[1] The capital and largest city of the territory is Nouméa. The currency is the CFP franc. The CFP franc (called the franc in everyday use is the Currency used in the French overseas possessions of French Polynesia, New Caledonia

Since 1986 the United Nations Committee on Decolonization has included New Caledonia on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Decolonization refers to the undoing of Colonialism, the establishment of governance or authority through the creation of settlements by another country or jurisdiction The United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories documents countries that according to the United Nations, are non- decolonized. New Caledonia will decide whether to remain within the French Republic or become an independent state in a referendum sometime after 2014. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita

Its capital Nouméa is the seat of the regional organization the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (formerly the South Pacific Commission). A subregion is a conceptual unit which derives from a larger Region or Continent and is usually based on location International Organization is a peer-reviewed Academic journal that covers the entire field of International affairs. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, or SPC (sometimes Pacific Community) is a regional intergovernmental organisation whose membership includes both nations

Contents 1 Origin of the name 2 History 3 Politics 3.1 Representation at the national level 4 Geography 5 Subdivisions 6 Climate 7 Ecology 7.1 Ecology and politics 8 Economy 9 Demography 9.1 Languages 10 Culture 10.1 Sports 11 Images of New Caledonia 12 Miscellaneous topics 13 See also 14 External links 15 Footnotes 16 References

Origin of the name

The name Caledonia derives from the Latin name of an area corresponding to modern Scotland. Caledonia is the Latin name given by the Roman Empire to a northern area of the island of Great Britain. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The name Kanaky is also in common usage in French, English and the indigenous languages. This name is favored by Melanesian nationalists. Melanesia (from Greek: μέλας black, νῆσος island) means "islands of the black-skinned people" The word comes from kanaka, a Hawai`ian word (elsewhere tangata and variants) meaning "human/person/people", used by Polynesians to refer to themselves. The Polynesian languages are a Language family spoken in the region known as Polynesia. Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over The word was later used by the French about all the indigenous inhabitants of the South Pacific Ocean, including the Melanesian (non-Polynesian) native inhabitants of New Caledonia. The word, turned into Canaque in French, became derogatory. In the 1960s and 1970s, when the Melanesian native inhabitants started to organize themselves into political parties and call for independence, the word was transformed into a symbol of political emancipation and pride. In 1983, during the period of political turmoil, the terms Kanak and Kanaky became political brand names and colonial whites (Caldoches) realized the name had changed into a political statement. Caldoche is the name given to European inhabitants of the French territory of New Caledonia.

History

The western Pacific was first populated about 50,000 years ago. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The Austronesians moved into the area later. The diverse group of people that settled over the Melanesian archipelagos are known as the Lapita. Melanesia (from Greek: μέλας black, νῆσος island) means "islands of the black-skinned people" An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian For the Fly Genus, see Lapita (fly. Lapita is the common name They arrived in the archipelago now commonly known as New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands around 1500 BC. An archipelago (ɑrkəˈpɛləgoʊ is a chain or cluster of Islands The word archipelago literally means "chief Sea " from Italian The Loyalty Islands (Îles Loyauté are an Archipelago in the Pacific. The Lapita were highly skilled navigators and agriculturists with influence over a large area of the Pacific. For the Fly Genus, see Lapita (fly. Lapita is the common name The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions

From about the 11th century Polynesians also arrived and mixed with the populations of the archipelago.

Europeans first sighted New Caledonia and the Loyalty Islands in the late 18th century. The British explorer James Cook sighted Grande Terre in 1774 and named it New Caledonia, Caledonia being the Latin name for Scotland. Captain James Cook FRS RN ( – 14 February 1779) was an English Explorer, Navigator and Grande Terre may refer to the following The main island of New Caledonia - Grande Terre (New Caledonia. During the same voyage he also named the islands to the north of New Caledonia the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu), after the islands north of Scotland. Hebrides (disambiguation New Hebrides was the colonial name for an Island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu ( French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu) is an Island

Whalers operated off New Caledonia during the 19th century. Sandalwood traders were welcome but as supplies diminished, the traders became abusive. for the film industry in India see Cinema of Karnataka Sandalwood is the name for several fragrant Woods and their Essential The Europeans brought new diseases such as smallpox, measles, dysentery, influenza, syphilis and leprosy. Smallpox is an Infectious disease unique to humans caused by either of two virus variants named Variola major and Variola minor. Measles (rubeola is a Disease caused by a virus specifically a Paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Dysentery (formerly known as flux or the bloody flux) is an infection of the digestive system that results in severe Diarrhea containing mucus and blood Syphilis is a Sexually transmitted disease caused by the spirochetal Bacterium Treponema pallidum pallidum. Leprosy (from the Greek lepi (λέπι meaning scales on a fish or Hansen's disease, is a chronic disease caused by the bacterium Many people died as a result of these diseases. Tensions developed into hostilities and in 1849 the crew of the Cutter were killed and eaten by the Pouma clan.

As trade in sandalwood declined it was replaced by a new form of trade, Blackbirding. for the film industry in India see Cinema of Karnataka Sandalwood is the name for several fragrant Woods and their Essential Blackbirding refers to the recruitment of people through trickery and Kidnappings to work on plantations particularly the Sugar cane Plantations of Blackbirding was a euphemism for enslaving people from New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to work in sugar cane plantations in Fiji and Queensland. Blackbirding refers to the recruitment of people through trickery and Kidnappings to work on plantations particularly the Sugar cane Plantations of The Loyalty Islands (Îles Loyauté are an Archipelago in the Pacific. Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu ( French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu) is an Island Papua New Guinea (or ˈpæpjuːə in Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini) officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania The Solomon Islands is a country in Melanesia, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern corner of the mainland continent The trade ceased at the start of the 20th century. The victims of this trade were called Kanakas, a label later shortened to Kanak and adopted by the indigenous population after French annexation.

The island was made a French possession in late 1853 in an attempt by Napoleon III to rival the British colonies in Australia and New Zealand. Napoléon III, also known as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (full name Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte) (20 April 1808 9 January 1873 was the first President For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Following the example set by the British in nearby Australia, between 1864 and 1922 France sent a total of 22,000 convicted felons to penal colonies along the south-west coast of the island; this number includes regular criminals as well as political prisoners such as Parisian socialists and Kabyle nationalists. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. A penal colony is a Settlement used to detain Prisoners and generally use them for Penal labour in an economically underdeveloped part of the state's Towards the end of the penal colony era, free European settlers (including former convicts) and Asian contract workers by far out-numbered the population of forced workers. A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there often to colonize the area The indigenous Kanak populations declined drastically in that same period due to introduced diseases and an apartheid-like system called Code de l'Indigénat which imposed severe restrictions on their livelihood, freedom of movement and land ownership. The Code de l'indigénat was a set of laws creating in practice an inferior legal status for natives of French Colonies from 1887 until 1944 - 1947.

During World War II, US and Allies forces built a major position in New Caledonia to combat the advance of Japan in South-East Asia and toward Australia. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Allies of World War II were the countries officially opposed to the Axis powers during the Second World War. The Empire of Japan ( {{unicode|Kyūjitai}}: ja 大日本帝國 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国 pronounced Dai Nippon Teikoku Noumea served as a headquarters for the United States military in the Pacific. The proximity of the territory with the South Pacific operations permitted also quick repairs in Noumea of damaged US ships. The American 23rd Infantry Division is still unofficially named Americal, the name being a contraction of "America" and "New Caledonia".

The U. S. military headquarters - a pentagonal complex - was, after the war, taken over as the base for a new regional intergovernmental development organisation: the South Pacific Commission, later known as the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, or SPC (sometimes Pacific Community) is a regional intergovernmental organisation whose membership includes both nations

New Caledonia has been on a United Nations list of non-self-governing territories since 1986. Hienghène is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories documents countries that according to the United Nations, are non- decolonized. Agitation by the Front de Libération Nationale Kanak Socialiste (FLNKS) for independence began in 1985. The National Union for Independence-Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front ( French: Union Nationale pour l'Indépendance - Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et The National Union for Independence-Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front ( French: Union Nationale pour l'Indépendance - Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et The FLNKS (led by the late Jean-Marie Tjibaou, assassinated in 1989) advocated the creation of an independent state of 'Kanaky'. Jean-Marie Tjibaou (1936 – 1989 was involved in politics in New Caledonia. The troubles culminated in 1988 with a bloody hostage taking in Ouvéa. The Ouvéa cave hostage taking was an event occurring from April 22, 1988 to May 5, 1988 in which independence fighters took 27 The unrest led to agreement on increased autonomy in the Matignon Accords of 1988 and the Nouméa Accord of 1998. The Nouméa Accord of 1998 promises to grant political power to New Caledonia and its original population the Kanaks until full independence is achieved This Accord describes the devolution process as "irreversible" and also provides for a local Caledonian citizenship, separate official symbols of Caledonian identity (such as a "national" flag), as well as mandating a referendum on the contentious issue of independence from the French Republic sometime after 2014. Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a State to government at subnational level Vexillology is the scholarly study of Flags The word is a synthesis of the Latin word Vexillum and the suffix –''ology'', meaning "study

Politics

Main article: Politics of New Caledonia

The unique status of New Caledonia is in between that of an independent country and a normal Overseas department of France. The politics of New Caledonia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic French Overseas country, whereby the President Overseas department (départements d’outre-mer or DOM) is a designation under the 1946 Constitution of the Fourth Republic that was given to the

On the one hand, both a Territorial Congress (Congress of New Caledonia) and government have been established, and are increasingly empowered via the gradual implementation of a devolution of powers from France in favour of New Caledonia, pursuant to the 1998 Nouméa Accord. The Congress of New Caledonia (Congrès de la Nouvelle-Calédonie a "territorial Congress " ( congrès territorial or congrès du territoire) The Nouméa Accord of 1998 promises to grant political power to New Caledonia and its original population the Kanaks until full independence is achieved Key areas (e. g. taxation, labour law, health and hygiene, foreign trade, and others) are already in the hands of the Territorial Congress and government. Further authority will be given to the Territorial Congress in the near future. Ultimately, the French Republic should only remain in charge of foreign affairs, justice, defense, public order, and treasury. An additional enhancement to New Caledonian autonomy has come in the form of recently-introduced territorial "citizenship": Only New Caledonian "citizens" have the right to vote in local elections. The introduction of this right has been criticised, because it creates a second-class status for French citizens living in New Caledonia who do not possess New Caledonian "citizenship" (because they settled in the territory recently). Further signs of increased autonomy for the territory, include New Caledonia's right to engage in international cooperation with independent countries of the Pacific Ocean region, the continued use of a local currency (the French Pacific Franc, or CFP) rather than the Euro, as well as the authority of the Territorial Congress to pass statutes overriding French law in a certain number of areas. The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions The CFP franc (called the franc in everyday use is the Currency used in the French overseas possessions of French Polynesia, New Caledonia Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e In academic terms French law can be divided into two main categories private law (" droit privé " and public law (" droit public "

On the other hand, New Caledonia remains a part of the French Republic. The inhabitants of New Caledonia are French citizens and carry French passports. They take part in the legislative and presidential French elections, sending two representatives to the French National Assembly and one senator to the French Senate. The French National Assembly. The other is the Senate ( “Sénat”) The Senate (Sénat is the Upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president. At the 2007 French presidential election the voter turnout in New Caledonia was 68. The 2007 French presidential election, the ninth of the Fifth French Republic was held to elect the successor to Jacques Chirac as president of France Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a Ballot in an Election. 14%. ^[5] The representative of the French central state in New Caledonia is the High Commissioner of the Republic (Haut-Commissaire de la République, locally known as "haussaire"), who is the head of civil services, and who sits as an integral part of the territorial government. High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking special executive positions held by a commission of appointment

The Nouméa Accord provides a mechanism for the determination of the ultimate status and degree of New Caledonian territorial autonomy: Pursuant to the Accord, the Territorial Congress will have the right to call for a referendum on independence, at any time of its choosing after 2014. The Nouméa Accord of 1998 promises to grant political power to New Caledonia and its original population the Kanaks until full independence is achieved A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising

The current president of the government elected by the territorial Congress is Harold Martin, from the loyalist (i. Harold Martin can refer to Harold Martin (racer, an American drag racer Harold Martin (politician a politician of New Caledonia e. anti-independence) "Future Together" party (l'Avenir Ensemble), which crushed the long-time ruling RPCR (Rally for Caledonia in the Republic) in May 2004. The Future Together ( French: l'Avenir Ensemble, lav(əniʀ ɑ̃ˈsɑ̃bl is a center-right Political party in New Caledonia supporting the The Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (Rassemblement pour une Calédonie dans la République is a conservative Political party in New Caledonia, strongly supportive "Future Together" is a party of mostly White and Polynesian New Caledonians opposed to independence, but rebelling against the hegemonistic and (allegedly) corrupt anti-independence RPCR, led by the now-discredited Jacques Lafleur. Jacques Lafleur (born 20 November, 1932) is a French Politician born in New Caledonia. Their toppling of the RPCR (that was until then seen as the only voice of New Caledonian Whites) was a surprise to many, and a sign that New Caledonian society is undergoing changes. "Future Together," as the name implies, is opposed to a racial-oriented vision of New Caledonian political life, one based purely on the political primacy of either the Melanesian native inhabitants or the descendants of European settlers. Rather, it is in favour of a multicultural New Caledonia, of governing principles that better reflect the reality of the existence of large populations of Polynesians, Indonesians, Chinese, and other immigrant communities that make up the territory's population. Some members of "Future Together" are even in favour of independence, though not necessarily on the same basis as the Melanesian independence parties.

Representation at the national level

New Caledonia sends two deputies to the French National Assembly, one representing the commune (municipality) of Nouméa, the commune of L'Île-des-Pins and the Loyalty Islands Province, and the other representing the rest of New Caledonia. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. The French National Assembly. The other is the Senate ( “Sénat”) The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. L'Île-des-Pins is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The Loyalty Islands (Îles Loyauté are an Archipelago in the Pacific. New Caledonia also sends one senator to the French Senate. The Senate (Sénat is the Upper house of the Parliament of France, presided over by a president.

Geography

Main article: Geography of New Caledonia

New Caledonia is located around 21°30′S, 165°30′E in the southwest Pacific Ocean, approximately 1,200 kilometres (746 mi) east of Australia and 1,500 kilometres (932 mi) northwest of New Zealand. New Caledonia is a group of Islands in the South Pacific Ocean, to the east of Australia, in Oceania. The Isle of Pines ( French: Île des Pins; Kanak name Kunyié) is an island located in the Pacific Ocean, in the Archipelago The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth 's Oceanic divisions For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The island nation of Vanuatu lies to the northeast. Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu ( French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu) is an Island

New Caledonia is made up of a main island, the Grande Terre, and several smaller islands, the Belep archipelago to the north of the Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands to the east of the Grande Terre, the Île des Pins to the south of the Grande Terre, the Chesterfield Islands and Bellona Reefs further to the west. Belep (sometimes unofficially spelled Bélep) is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France The Loyalty Islands (Îles Loyauté are an Archipelago in the Pacific. The Isle of Pines ( French: Île des Pins; Kanak name Kunyié) is an island located in the Pacific Ocean, in the Archipelago Chesterfield Islands ( îles Chesterfield in French) is an Archipelago of New Caledonia located in the Coral Sea, 550 km North

The Grande Terre is by far the largest of the islands, and the only mountainous island. It has an area of 16,372 square kilometres (6,321 sq mi), and is elongated northwest-southeast, 350 kilometres (217 mi) in length and 50 to 70 kilometres (31–44 mi) wide. A mountain range runs the length of the island, with five peaks over 1,500 meters (4,900 ft). The highest point is Mont Panié at 1,628 meters (5,341 ft) elevation. Mont Panié is the highest peak of New Caledonia with 1628 meters The total area of New Caledonia is 19,060 square kilometers (7,359 sq mi), 18,575 square kilometers (7,172 sq mi) of those being land.

New Caledonia is one of the northernmost parts of a (93%) submerged continent called Zealandia. The Isle of Pines ( French: Île des Pins; Kanak name Kunyié) is an island located in the Pacific Ocean, in the Archipelago A continent is one of several large Landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by Convention rather than any strict criteria with seven regions Zealandia (ziːˈlæːndiə also known as Tasmantis or the New Zealand continent, is a nearly submerged Continent or Microcontinent that It sank after rifting away from Australia 60–85 million years ago (mya) and from Antarctica between 130 and 85 mya. In Geology, a rift is a place where the Earth 's crust and Lithosphere are being pulled apart and is an example of Extensional tectonics For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Caledonia itself is separated from Australia since 65 mya, and subsequently drifted in a north-easterly direction, reaching its present position about 50 mya. ^[6]

Subdivisions

Main article: Administrative divisions of New Caledonia

Along with other Pacific Ocean territories of French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia is part of the French Republic. New Caledonia is divided into three Provinces: South Province ( province Sud = the southern mainland French Polynesia ( French: Polynésie française, Tahitian: Pōrīnetia Farāni) is a French Overseas collectivity in the Wallis and Futuna, officially the Territory of Wallis and Futuna Islands ( French: Wallis et Futuna or Territoire des îles Wallis et Futuna, This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Its official status, unique in the French Republic, is said to be sui generis, because New Caledonia is the only French subdivision that is not a collectivité territoriale. Sui generis (English pronunciation ( IPA) /ˌsuːiˈdʒɛnərɪs/ roughly "SOO-ee JEN-a-ris" Latin pronunciation /ˌsuːiˈgeneris/ is a Neo-Latin A Territorial collectivity ( collectivité territoriale and sometimes collectivité locale) within the French Republic, is the generic name New Caledonia was a colony until 1946, then an overseas territory (territoire d'outre-mer, or TOM) from 1946 to 1999. France was a dominant empire in the world from the 1600s to the late 1960s possessing many colonies in various locations around the world The capital is Nouméa, the only major conurbation in the territory. A conurbation is an Urban area or Agglomeration comprising a number of Cities, large Towns and larger urban areas that through Population

Administratively, the archipelago is divided into three provinces:

• South Province (province Sud). Examples of administrative divisions English terms In many of the following terms corresponding to British cultural influence areas of relatively low mean population A province is a territorial unit almost always an Administrative division. The South Province ( French province Sud) is one of three administrative subdivisions in New Caledonia. Provincial capital: Nouméa. Population: 164,113 inhabitants (2004).
• North Province (province Nord). The North Province ( French province Nord) is one of three administrative subdivisions in New Caledonia. Provincial capital: Koné. Koné may refer to Koné New Caledonia Koné Burkina Faso Population: 44,596 inhabitants (2004).
• Loyalty Islands Province (province des îles Loyauté). The Loyalty Islands (Îles Loyauté are an Archipelago in the Pacific. Provincial capital: Lifou. Lifou is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Population: 22,080 inhabitants (2004).

It is further subdivided into thirty-three communes. The Isle of Pines ( French: Île des Pins; Kanak name Kunyié) is an island located in the Pacific Ocean, in the Archipelago For the yacht of the same name see Ouvéa (ship. Ouvéa is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. One commune, Poya, is divided between two provinces. Poya is a commune in New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The northern half of Poya, with the main settlement and most of the population, is part of the North Province, while the southern half of the commune, with only 122 inhabitants in 2004, is part of the South Province.

South Province	North Province	Loyalty Islands Province
Thio Yaté L'Île-des-Pins Le Mont-Dore Nouméa Dumbéa Païta Bouloupari La Foa Sarraméa Farino Moindou Bourail Poya (south part)	Poya (north part) Pouembout Koné Voh Kaala-Gomen Koumac Poum Belep Ouégoa Pouébo Hienghène Touho Poindimié Ponérihouen Houaïlou Kouaoua Canala	Ouvéa Lifou Maré

There are also three administrative subdivisions, simply known as subdivisions in French, with exactly the same names and same boundaries as the three provinces, except that the commune of Poya is entirely contained inside the North Subdivision. The South Province ( French province Sud) is one of three administrative subdivisions in New Caledonia. The North Province ( French province Nord) is one of three administrative subdivisions in New Caledonia. The Loyalty Islands (Îles Loyauté are an Archipelago in the Pacific. Thio is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Yaté is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. L'Île-des-Pins is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Le Mont-Dore is a commune in the suburbs of Nouméa in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France Dumbéa is a commune in the suburbs of Nouméa in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Païta is a commune in the suburbs of Nouméa in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Bouloupari (locally spelled Boulouparis, but this spelling is not recognized by French authorities is a commune in the South Province of New La Foa is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Sarraméa is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Farino is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Moindou is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Bourail is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Poya is a commune in New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Poya is a commune in New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Pouembout is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Koné may refer to Koné New Caledonia Koné Burkina Faso Voh is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Kaala-Gomen is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Koumac is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Poum is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Belep (sometimes unofficially spelled Bélep) is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France Ouégoa is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Pouébo is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Hienghène is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Touho is a municipality ( commune) in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean Poindimié is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Ponérihouen is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Houaïlou is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Kouaoua is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Canala is a commune in the North Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. For the yacht of the same name see Ouvéa (ship. Ouvéa is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia Lifou is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Maré is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Contrary to the provinces, which are full political divisions with provincial assemblies and executives, the administrative subdivisions are merely deconcentrated divisions of the French central state, akin to the arrondissements of metropolitan France, with a Deputy Commissioner of the Republic (commissaire délégué de la République), akin to a subprefect of metropolitan France, in residence in each subdivision's chief town. __FORCETOC__ Decentralization or Decentralisation (see Spelling differences) is the process of dispersing Decision-making governance closer to the people The 100 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. Metropolitan France (France métropolitaine or la Métropole, or colloquially l'Hexagone) is the part of France located in Europe, including Subprefecture is an Administrative division of a country that is below Prefecture or Province.

The subdivision chief towns are the same as the provincial capitals except in the South Subdivision where the chief town is La Foa, whereas the capital of the South Province is Nouméa. La Foa is a commune in the South Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Thus, although the provincial assembly of the South Province sits in Nouméa, the South Subdivision's Deputy Commissioner of the Republic is in residence in La Foa. This was decided in order to counterbalance the overwhelming weight of Nouméa in New Caledonia.

In addition, a parallel layer of administration exists for Kanak tribal affairs; these are called aires coutumières ("traditional spheres") and are eight in number (see map of the "aires coutumières"). Their jurisdiction does not encompass non-Kanaks living within these zones. The aires coutumières more or less correspond to the indigenous language areas of pre-French tribal alliances.

Climate

New Caledonia lies astride the Tropic of Capricorn, between 19° and 23° south latitude. For the novel by Henry Miller, see Tropic of Capricorn (novel. The climate of the islands is tropical, and rainfall is highly seasonal, brought by trade winds that usually come from the east. The Tropics are centered on the Equator and limited in Latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere at approximately 23°26' (23 Rainfall averages about 1,500 millimetres (59 in) yearly on the Loyalty Islands, 2,000 millimetres (79 in) at low elevations on eastern the Grande Terre, and 2,000-4,000 millimetres (79–157. 5 in) at high elevations on the Grande Terre. The western side of the Grande Terre lies in the rain shadow of the central mountains, and rainfall averages 1,200 millimetres (47 in) per year. For the Australian television series see Rain Shadow (TV series.

Ecology

New Caledonia is considered one of the world's most botanically-important, and critically endangered hotspots. Unlike many of the Pacific Islands, which are of relatively recent volcanic origin, New Caledonia is an ancient fragment of the Gondwana super-continent. Gondwana (ɡɒnˈdwɑːnə originally Gondwanaland) was a southern Supercontinent that existed about 500 to 200 Ma ago New Caledonia and New Zealand separated from Australia 85 million years ago, and from one another 55 million years ago. This isolated New Caledonia from the rest of the world's landmasses, and made it a Noah's Ark of sorts, preserving a snapshot of prehistoric Gondwanan forests. Noah's Ark, according to the Book of Genesis (chapters 6-9 is the story of a large vessel built at God 's command to save Noah, his family The country still shelters an extraordinary diversity of unique, endemic, and extremely primitive plants and animals of Gondwanan origin. Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere For more information on the significance of this country's flora and fauna, as well as the dangers it faces, and its effects on national social, economic, and political life, see Biodiversity of New Caledonia and Endemic Birds of New Caledonia. The Biodiversity of New Caledonia, a large Pacific island group is considered to be one of the most important in the world This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the World's various zoogeographic zones

Although the majority of the country's citizens are unaware of the extraordinary nature of their country's biological patrimony, a few of the country's animals and plants have become somewhat emblematic in local culture. Among the best known is a hen-sized, flightless bird, commonly-known as the Cagou or Kagu, which has a large crest and an odd barking call. KAGU is a Classical music Radio station run by Gonzaga University in Spokane Washington. Its song and image are frequently seen as nationally-recognized icons. Another commonly used cultural emblem is the Columnar or Cook's Pine (Araucaria columnaris), an important symbol in Kanak culture. UserPolbot. --> Araucaria columnaris is a species of Conifer in the Araucariaceae family Kanak (formerly also Canaque) are the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific. The Niaouli tree (also native to Australia and New Guinea), is of medicinal interest, locally and abroad. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Guinea, located just north of Australia, is the world's second largest island, having become separated from the Australian mainland when the area now known Its sap (which contains Gomenol, a camphor-smelling compound), is used to treat head colds, and as an antiseptic. It also shows potential to treat other medical ailments. Before the Europeans arrived, there was no mammal other than the Roussette (aka flying fox), a large vegetarian bat, considered a local delicacy. For other uses of the term "Flying fox" see Flying fox (disambiguation Megabats is the term used informally to refer to bats Less well-known by the native population is the fact their country is home to a species of plant, (Amborella trichopoda), believed to be genetically close to the ancestor of all flowering plants, or the fact their nation boasts the largest number and diversity of conifer species in the world, per unit of geographic area (a remarkable fact, given that conifers are usually relatively rare in tropical regions). Amborella trichopoda is a rare vesselless understory Shrub or small Tree found only on the island of New Caledonia.

The islands contain two precipitation zones: Higher-rainfall areas (located on the Loyalty Islands, Isle of Pines (Île des Pins), and on the eastern side of Grande Terre) which support New Caledonia rain forests, and a more arid region, home to the now exceedingly-endangered New Caledonia dry forests, located in the rain shadow on the western side of Grande Terre. An emblem is a pictorial Image, abstract or representational that epitomizes a Concept — e Nautilus (from Greek ναυτίλος, 'sailor' is the common name of any marine creatures of the Cephalopod family Nautilidae, the sole The New Caledonia rain forests are a Terrestrial ecoregion, located in New Caledonia in the South Pacific. Europeans settled on the dry west coast of Grande Terre, leaving the east (as well as the Loyalty Islands and the Isle of Pines) to the Kanaks, and resulting in an ethno-cultural division which coincides with the natural one. Extensive farming by Europeans in the dry forest areas, has caused these forest ecosystems to virtually disappear.

It is a vast oversimplification, however, to merely describe New Caledonia's extremely important, complex and diverse ecology in terms of precipitation zones. Species and ecological diversity is further complicated by soil type (degree and type of mineralization), altitude, and geographic location (for instance, Loyalty Islands and Isle of Pines have flora that is distinct from Grande Terre).

In addition to the remarkable terrestrial environment of New Caledonia, the country is also home to important aquatic ecosystems. Its freshwater ecology also evolved in long isolation, and the New Caledonia rivers and streams are home to many endemic species. Moreover, the New Caledonia Barrier Reef, which surrounds Grande Terre and the Isle of Pines (Île des Pins), is the second-largest coral reef in the world after Australia's Great Barrier Reef, reaching a length of 1,500 kilometres (930 mi). The New Caledonia Barrier Reef is located in New Caledonia in the South Pacific, and is the second-longest Coral reef in the world after Australia Coral reefs are Aragonite structures produced by living organisms found in marine waters with little to no nutrients in the water The Great Barrier Reef is the largest Coral reef system in the world composed of over 2900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for 2600 kilometres (1600 mi Like its terrestrial counterpart, the Caledonian reef system has great species diversity, is home to endangered dugongs (Dugong dugong), and is an important nesting site for the Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas). The dugong ( Dugong dugon) is a large Marine Mammal which together with the Manatees is one of four living species of the order Sirenia "Chelonia" redirects here It is also the name of the Superorder uniting turtles tortoises and terrapins ( Testudines) with the "proto-turtle" The Nautilus is a living-fossil species, once common during the age of the dinosaurs, and survives today in the waters surrounding New Caledonia. Nautilus (from Greek ναυτίλος, 'sailor' is the common name of any marine creatures of the Cephalopod family Nautilidae, the sole

Ecology and politics

Aside from the challenges posed by charting a course for the territory's racial and political life, the current government faces an additional, extraordinary challenge in balancing the needs of the territory's mining-based economy, with the protection of its globally-recognized, ecological-important wild areas (see Ecology, below, as well as Biodiversity of New Caledonia and Endemic Birds of New Caledonia). KAGU is a Classical music Radio station run by Gonzaga University in Spokane Washington. The Biodiversity of New Caledonia, a large Pacific island group is considered to be one of the most important in the world This article is one of a series providing information about endemism among birds in the World's various zoogeographic zones The territory is essentially one of the most evolutionarily isolated areas in the world, and its natural environment is comparable in many ways to a real-life Jurassic Park, especially with regards to its native plant life and its barrier reef, the second largest in the world. Jurassic Park is a 1993 Science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel of the same name by Michael Although, no animal dinosaurs obviously exist today, New Caledonia's flora (and, in a few cases, fauna) is extraordinarily primitive, substantially unchanged from the days of the dinosaurs, and can be found virtually nowhere else on earth outside of its small land mass. Safeguarding and preserving such a critical biological resource is an important national responsibility --- one which, to date, has taken a distant back seat to the rapid and destructive exploitation of the nation's many and substantial mineral resources (nickel, and other metals). It is those very mineral resources which permit New Caledonia to have a fairly prosperous economy today, and which have made the elite and influential classes in New Caledonia quite wealthy.

As recently as the late 1990s and the early part of the new millennium, the RPCR under Jacques Lafleur (whose family was among those benefiting from exploitation of the territory's mineral wealth) ruthlessly (and often violently) suppressed efforts by incipient, grass-roots environmental organizers like Bruno Van Peteghem. Jacques Lafleur (born 20 November, 1932) is a French Politician born in New Caledonia. Bruno Van Peteghem ( New Caledonia) was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2001 for his campaign to place the island's Coral reef (among the world's Although such efforts merely sought to implement and observe reasonable environmental norms (transparency in legal proceedings, implementation of required environmental studies prior to destructive human activities, and unbreakable protection of the most critical of biological preserves), Bruno Van Peteghem experienced threats, the firebombing of his home, and eventually, employment-based pressure that led to his exile from New Caledonia. His allies faced similar experiences.

The plight of New Caledonia's environmental patrimony gradually became known to the world at large, partly because Van Peteghem was made a recipient of the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize for his efforts and sacrifice on behalf of Caledonian ecological protection. The Goldman Environmental Prize is a prize given annually to grassroots environmental activists from six geographic areas Africa, Asia, Europe In the face of mounting international public awareness, the government slowly implemented some modifications to its near-nonexistent ecological-protection policies. For example, funds were spent on the restoration and upgrading of facilities of a few, high-profile ecologically-important sites, like the famed Madeleine Waterfalls Preserve (Chutes de la Madeleine). Although this prevented the kinds of abuses by the general public that had previously threatened the site (e. g. wood-cutting, fire, garbage, graffiti, etc. ), it ultimately does little to give iron-clad protection from mining or industrial exploitation, should such exploitation be proposed for preserves like the Madeleine Waterfalls Preserve. This very fate befell the ecologically-significant area which was completely razed to implement the nearby INCO nickel mine.

Today, despite continued slow progress in a few areas (e. g. judicial revocation of the INCO mining license in June of 2006 due to numerous abuses), the government still moves slowly, if at all, to address grave threats to New Caledonia's ecological diversity from fire, industrial and residential development, and unrestricted agricultural activity, as well as mining. Every year, more of New Caledonia's natural environment is destroyed or degraded all over its small landmass, due to governmental inaction and willful lack of funding for protective resources. Compounding the problem, is the fact that local environmental-protection agencies, charged with intelligent oversight of natural resources, have implemented a few well-intentioned, but ultimately counterproductive measures whose ultimate effect is to undercut the preservation of natural genetic diversity of the territory's flora and fauna.

Economy

Main article: Economy of New Caledonia

New Caledonian soils contain a considerable wealth of industrially-critical elements and minerals, including about one-quarter of the world's nickel resources. Economy - overview New Caledonia has more than 25% of the world's known Nickel resources Nickel (ˈnɪkəl is a metallic Chemical element with the symbol Ni and Atomic number 28 Mining is therefore a significant industry that greatly benefits the territory's economy. However, the country is also home to numerous, critically-important ancient ecosystems. Thus, widely-practiced and indiscriminate open-pit mining across much of New Caledonia is claimed to be responsible for deterioration of the territory's natural heritage. Open-pit mining, also known as opencast mining and open-cut mining and strip mining, refers to a method of extracting rock or Minerals

The GDP of New Caledonia in 2006 was 6. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. 8 billion US dollars at market exchange rates, the fourth-largest economy in Oceania after Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the ^[3] The GDP per capita was 28,568 US dollars in 2006 (at market exchange rates, not at PPP), lower than in Australia and Hawaii, but higher than in New Zealand. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. ^[3]

In 2007, exports from New Caledonia amounted to 2. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 11 billion US dollars, 96. 3% of which were mineral products and alloys (essentially nickel ore and ferronickel). Nickel (ˈnɪkəl is a metallic Chemical element with the symbol Ni and Atomic number 28 Ferroalloy refers to various Alloys of Iron with a high proportion of one or more other element, Manganese or Silicon for example ^[7] Imports amounted to 2. 88 billion US dollars. ^[7] 26. 6% of imports came from Metropolitan France, 16. Metropolitan France (France métropolitaine or la Métropole, or colloquially l'Hexagone) is the part of France located in Europe, including 1% from other European countries, 13. 6% from Singapore (essentially fuel), 10. 7% from Australia, 4. 0% from New Zealand, 3. 2% from the United States, 3. 0% from Japan, and 22. 7% from other coutries. ^[7]

Demography

Though still the largest group, the indigenous Melanesian Kanak community now represents 44. Melanesia (from Greek: μέλας black, νῆσος island) means "islands of the black-skinned people" Kanak (formerly also Canaque) are the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific. 6% of the whole population (as of 1996 census),^[8] their proportion of the population having declined due to immigration and other factors. The rest of the population is made up of ethnic groups that arrived in New Caledonia in the last 150 years: Europeans (34. The European peoples are the various Nations and Ethnic groups of Europe. 5%) (predominantly French, with German, British and Italian minorities), Polynesians (Wallisians, Tahitians) (11. Legal residents and citizens To be French according to the first article of the Constitution is to be a citizen of France regardless of one's origin race or religion ( The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging Polynesia (from Greek: πολύς many, νῆσος island) is a Subregion of Oceania, comprising a large grouping of over Wallis and Futuna, officially the Territory of Wallis and Futuna Islands ( French: Wallis et Futuna or Territoire des îles Wallis et Futuna, 8%), Indonesians (2. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. 6%), Vietnamese (1. The Vietnamese people (người Việt or vi ''người Kinh'' are an Ethnic group originating from what is now northern Vietnam and southern China. 4%), Ni-Vanuatu (1. Ni-Vanuatu is a Demonym used to refer to all Melanesian ethnicities originating in Vanuatu. 2%), and various other groups (3. 9%), such as Malabaris and Tamils, Indians (Hindu and Muslim), Sri Lankans, Bengalis, Berbers, Japanese, Chinese, Fijians (Native Fijians and Indo- Fijian), Arabs, West Indian (mostly from other French territories) and a small number of ethnic Africans. Malabar (മലബാര്‍ is a region of southern India, lying between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea. Tamil people (also called Tamils or Tamilians) ( are an Ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in India, and the north-eastern India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island The Bengali people are the ethnic community from Bengal (divided between Bangladesh and India) on the Indian subcontinent with a history dating Kabyles du Pacifique (" Kabyles of the Pacific " were a group of men and women deported by French authorities to Labor camps The are the dominant Ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent of these approximately 127 million are residents of Japan Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting ^[8] Some of this immigration was a direct consequence of various conflicts around the world but in particular of the crumbling of the French colonial empire. France was a dominant empire in the world from the 1600s to the late 1960s possessing many colonies in various locations around the world The Kanak are known officially as Melanesians. Melanesia (from Greek: μέλας black, νῆσος island) means "islands of the black-skinned people" Similarly, those whose roots are in French Polynesia are known either as Tahitians (which excludes persons originating in the other archipelagoes of French Polynesia) or simply as Polynesians (which would include both Tahitians and Wallisians, as well as many other minor groups). French Polynesia ( French: Polynésie française, Tahitian: Pōrīnetia Farāni) is a French Overseas collectivity in the Whites that have lived in New Caledonia for several generations are locally known as Caldoches, whereas newcomers who have immigrated from metropolitan France are called Métros or Métropolitains. Caldoche is the name given to European inhabitants of the French territory of New Caledonia. The European population also includes some pieds noirs who came after Algeria gained independence from France^[9], some of them prominent in anti-independence politics, including Pierre Maresca, a leader of the RPCR^[10]. Pied-Noir ("Black-Foot" plural Pieds-Noirs, pronounced /pje Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's The Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (Rassemblement pour une Calédonie dans la République is a conservative Political party in New Caledonia, strongly supportive Within the official statistical category "Europeans" no distinction is made between Caledonian-born whites and French-born whites, however it is estimated that approximately two thirds identify themselves with the Caldoche community while the rest see themselves primarily as French immigrants. Legal residents and citizens To be French according to the first article of the Constitution is to be a citizen of France regardless of one's origin race or religion ( There is a significant contingent of people that arrive from France to work for a year or two and others that have come to retire. The Caldoche usually refer to themselves simply as calédoniens and may be either white (mostly French or German) or white with an admixture of Asian, Melanesian or Polynesian ancestry. The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as Caldoche culture has many similarities with Australian and Afrikaner culture. The Demographics of Australia show it to be one of the most urbanised populations in the world the majority of Australians live on the coast The term Afrikaner people refers to white Afrikaans -speaking people who have been established in Southern Africa since the 17th century and are mainly of northwestern Until very recently the Kanak population held an economically disadvantaged position in New Caledonian society, while wealthy French expatriates formed the top of the socio-economic hierarchy. The Asian and Polynesian inhabitants dominate certain segments of the local economy.

There have been frequent accusations by the pro-independence movement that the French government is attempting to skew the demographic balance between the ethnic communities by clandestinely settling thousands of people from mainland France among the white Caledonians. Kanak (formerly also Canaque) are the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific. Censuses are extremely critical to the balance of power in New Caledonia, and the organisation of a new census was regularly postponed after 1996. Eventually the census was carried out in August and September 2004, amidst raging controversies over ethnic questions. Due to an intervention by French president Jacques Chirac, questions asking for the ethnicity of people were deleted from the 2004 census, officially because they were deemed to contravene the French Constitution, which states that no distinction based on ethnicity or religion should be made among French citizens. The current Constitution of France was adopted on October 4, 1958. The indigenous Melanesian Kanak leaders, who are extremely sensitive to ethnic balance issues, called for New Caledonians of Kanak ethnicity not to return census forms if questions regarding ethnicity were not asked, threatening to derail the census process. Eventually, the stalemate was resolved when the local New Caledonian statistical office (a branch of the national French statistical office INSEE) agreed to ask questions regarding ethnicity. INSEE ( French: I nstitut N ational de la S tatistique et des É tudes É conomiques; inse (not) in French is the However, it is not known whether questions regarding ethnicity were asked to all residents of New Caledonia, and at any rate no data have been released, leaving the ethnic tables from the 1996 census as the only information on ethnicity currently available.

According to the August 31, 2004 census, there were 230,789 inhabitants in New Caledonia. Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " ^[2] This figure has increased to 244,600 as of January 1, 2008 official estimates. New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[1] Kanak leaders were fearful of a major influx of whites from metropolitan France which would alter the ethnic balance in the territory, but this has not happened. Metropolitan France (France métropolitaine or la Métropole, or colloquially l'Hexagone) is the part of France located in Europe, including

Population: 244,600 (January 1, 2008 estimate)^[1]

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28,4% (male 31 818, female 30 513)
15-64 years: 64,9% (male 71 565, female 70 815)
65 years and over: 6,6% (male 6 773, female 7 772) (2006 est. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common )

Population growth rate: 1. 84% (in 2005), 1. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 91% (yearly average from January 2000 to January 2006)

Birth rate: 17. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Crude birth rate is the natality or Childbirths per 1000 people per year 2 births/1 000 population (in 2005)

Death rate: 4. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Death is the termination of the biological functions that define living Organisms It refers both to a specific 9 deaths/1 000 population (in 2005)

Net migration rate: 5. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Net migration rate is the difference of Immigrants and Emigrants of an area in a period of time divided (usually per 1000 inhabitants (considered on midterm population 62 migrants/1 000 population (in 2005), 5. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 01 migrants/1 000 population (yearly average between beginning of 2000 and end of 2005)

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: 0,87 male(s)/female
total population: 1,01 male(s)/female (2006 est. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Kanak (formerly also Canaque) are the indigenous Melanesian inhabitants of New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. )

Infant mortality rate: 7,57 deaths/1,000 live births male: 8,27 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6,83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est. Infant mortality is defined as the number of deaths of Infants (one year of age or younger per 1000 live births Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. )

Life expectancy at birth: (in 2005)
total population: 75. Life expectancy is the average number of years of life remaining at a given age 2 years
male: 71. 9 years
female: 78. 6 years

Total fertility rate: 2. Fertility is the natural capability of giving life As a measure "Fertility Rate" is the number of children born per couple person or population 20 children born/woman (in 2005)

Nationality:
noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups: (as of 1996 census [2]) Melanesian 44. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Melanesia (from Greek: μέλας black, νῆσος island) means "islands of the black-skinned people" 6%, European 34. The European peoples are the various Nations and Ethnic groups of Europe. 5%, Wallisian 9. This article deals with the language of Wallis Island "Wallisian" also known as "Fakauvea" or "East Uvean 1%, Tahitian 2. 7%, Indonesian 2. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. 6%, Vietnamese 1. The Vietnamese people (người Việt or vi ''người Kinh'' are an Ethnic group originating from what is now northern Vietnam and southern China. 4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1. Ni-Vanuatu is a Demonym used to refer to all Melanesian ethnicities originating in Vanuatu. 2%, other (Filipino) 3. 9%

Religions: Roman Catholicism 60%, Protestantism 30%, other 10%

Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91%
male: 92%
female: 90% (1976 est. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people traditional definition of literacy is considered to be the ability to read and write or the ability to use Language to read, write, listen, )

Languages

French is the official language of New Caledonia as in the rest of the French Republic. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. At the 2004 census, 97. 0% of people whose age was 14 or older reported that they could speak, read and write French, whereas only 0. 97% reported that they had no knowledge of French. ^[11] At the same census, 37. 1% of people whose age was 14 or older reported that they could speak (but not necessarily read or write) one of the 28 indigenous Austronesian languages of New Caledonia (see New Caledonian languages and Loyalty Island languages), whereas 58. The thirty Mainland New Caledonian languages form a branch of the Southern Melanesian languages The four Loyalty Island languages form a branch of the Southern Oceanic languages. 7% reported that they had no knowledge of any of these 28 indigenous languages. ^[12]

Culture

Sports

The most popular sport is cricket followed by football ^[13]. Cricket is a bat-and-ball team Sport that originated in England and is now played in more than 100 countries Football is the word given to a number of similar Team sports all of which involve (to varying degrees kicking a Ball with the foot in an attempt to score a The New Caledonia football team participates in the Oceania region's Nations Cup. The New Caledonia national football team is the team of New Caledonia and is controlled by the Fédération Calédonienne de Football. Rugby league has been played in New Caledonia since 2003 when its rugby union governing body and clubs switched. History See also History of rugby league The grass roots of rugby league can be traced to early football history, through the playing of ball games Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short

Images of New Caledonia

Amédée Lighthouse at Nouméa, the world's tallest metal lighthouse	Xodre Cliffs on Lifou	Coral reef off Lifou	Brush countryside in the north, towards Poum
The famous bandstand of the Place des Cocotiers at Nouméa	A creek rich in metal oxydes in the south of Grande Terre. A lighthouse is a Tower, building or framework designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or in older times from a fire and used as an Lifou is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. Coral reefs are Aragonite structures produced by living organisms found in marine waters with little to no nutrients in the water Lifou is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean.	On Ouvéa, 25km of white sand. For the yacht of the same name see Ouvéa (ship. Ouvéa is a commune in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia . .	Noumea, on a cloudy day in June 2006, looking north.

Miscellaneous topics

• Communications in New Caledonia
• Economy of New Caledonia
• Music of New Caledonia
• Sister city of Nouméa: Gold Coast, Australia
• Territorial disputes: International: Matthew and Hunter Islands, claimed by Vanuatu. Telephones - main lines in use 53 300 (2004 (up from 44000 in 1995 Telephones - mobile cellular 116 400 (2004 (up from 825 in 1995 Telephone system Economy - overview New Caledonia has more than 25% of the world's known Nickel resources New Caledonia ( Kanaky) boasts a folk music heritage in the Melanesian tradition This article is about the Australian city Gold Coast For other uses see Gold Coast. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The Matthew and Hunter Islands are a group of 2 small and uninhabited Volcanic islands in the South Pacific located 300 km east of New Caledonia and south-east Vanuatu, officially the Republic of Vanuatu ( French: République de Vanuatu, Bislama: Ripablik blong Vanuatu) is an Island
• Transportation in New Caledonia
• Mining in New Caledonia [3]

See also

• French overseas departments and territories
• Administrative divisions of France
• Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans
• Zealandia

External links

• Official website (French)
• New Caledonia at the Open Directory Project
• Lonely Planet WorldGuide profile
• (French) Website for l'Association Endemia: A thorough presentation of New Caledonian biodiversity
• (French) past and current developments of France's overseas administrative divisions like New Caledonia
• (French) Brousse-en-folie A popular local comic strip series
• General information and maps of the provinces, municipalities and the tribal zones

Tourism

• (French) Tourism Information of New-Caledonia

Footnotes

References

• Boyer, S. L. & Giribet, G. (2007): A new model Gondwanan taxon: systematics and biogeography of the harvestman family Pettalidae (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cyphophthalmi), with a taxonomic revision of genera from Australia and New Zealand. Cladistics 23(4): 337-361. doi:10.1111/j.1096-0031.2007.00149.x

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