New Caledonia
Territory in Oceania
CountryScope
In brief
Population: 295.3K (2025). World rank 178 of 216; in Oceania, 7 of 19. Area: 18,575 km². World rank 156 of 249; in Oceania, 5 of 27. GDP: $8.5B (2024). World rank 158 of 210; in Oceania, 4 of 19. From 2015 to 2025: population 283.2K → 295.3K.
State
- Official name
- New Caledonia
- Local name
- Nouvelle-Calédonie
- Capital
- Nouméa
- Region
- Oceania
- Form of government
- Parliamentary democracy
- UN member
- No
- Head of government
- Philippe Germain
Key figures
- Population
- 295,333 2025
- Area
- 18,575 km²
- GDP
- $8.5B 2024
- GDP per person
- $29,213 2024
- Life expectancy
- 78.9 years 2024
Practical information
- Languages
- French
- Currency
- CFP Franc (XPF)
- Time zones
- UTC+11
- Calling code
- +687
- Emergency numbers
- 112
- Driving side
- Right
- Plug types
- C, F
- Mains voltage
- 220 V
Territory
- Sea access
- Has a coastline
- Coastline, km
- 2,254
- Neighbours
- None
- Agricultural land
- 9.8% 2024
Elevation
- Highest point
- Mont Panie, 1,628 m
- Lowest point
- Pacific Ocean, 0 m
Climate
- Average temperature in the capital, °C
- 24
- Warmest month in the capital
- February, 27°C
- Coldest month in the capital
- August, 21°C
Population and migration
- Population density
- 15.9 per km² 2025
- Population growth per year
- +0.9% 2025
- Living in cities
- 68.2% 2025
- Net migration per year
- +440 2025
- Born in another country
- 26.2% 2024
Age and life expectancy
- Aged 0–14
- 21.1% 2025
- Aged 15–64
- 67.1% 2025
- Aged 65 and over
- 11.8% 2025
- Life expectancy, women
- 81.4 years 2024
- Life expectancy, men
- 76.5 years 2024
Births and deaths
- Children per woman
- 2 2024
- Births per 1,000 people
- 14 2024
- Deaths per 1,000 people
- 6.3 2024
Society
- Religions
- Christian 85.2%, no religion 10.4%, Muslim 2.8%, and other 1.6% (2020)
Quality of governance (100 = best)
- Rule of law, score 0–100
- 62.9 2025
- Control of corruption, score 0–100
- 50.8 2025
- Voice and accountability, score 0–100
- 59 2025
Size and growth
- GDP growth per year
- -13.5% 2024
Income and prices
- Income level (World Bank)
- High income
- Gross national income per person
- $30,070 2024
- Inflation
- +0.6% 2016
Structure and jobs
- Agriculture, share of GDP
- 1.8% 2019
- Industry, share of GDP
- 22.3% 2019
- Services, share of GDP
- 65.2% 2019
- Unemployment
- 11.2% 2025
- Youth unemployment, ages 15–24
- 33.1% 2025
- Women in work or seeking work
- 51.1% 2025
Trade and finance
- Exports, share of GDP
- 11.7% 2024
- Imports, share of GDP
- 28.7% 2024
- Current account balance, share of GDP
- -7.5% 2016
- Foreign direct investment, share of GDP
- +5.9% 2024
- Remittances received, share of GDP
- 7.1% 2016
Education
- Adult literacy
- 96.1% 1996
- Primary school enrolment
- 116% 1994
- Secondary school enrolment
- 94% 1997
Healthcare
- Doctors per 1,000 people
- 2 1999
Public health
- Diabetes prevalence, ages 20–79
- 22% 2024
Living conditions
- Access to safe drinking water
- 99.5% 2024
- Access to basic sanitation
- 100% 2024
Safety
- Homicides per 100,000 people
- 3.1 2009
- Political stability and absence of violence, score 0–100
- 70.7 2025
- Natural hazards
- volcanoes and tropical cyclones
Air and emissions
- CO₂ emissions, tonnes per person
- 17.1 2024
- All greenhouse gases, tonnes CO₂e per person
- 18.4 2024
Nature and water
- Forest cover
- 48.1% 2024
- Protected areas
- 96% 2025
Internet and communications
- Using the internet
- 82% 2017
- Mobile subscriptions per 100 people
- 92 2022
- Home broadband per 100 people
- 19.4 2022
- Internet domain
- .nc
Energy
- Access to electricity
- 100% 2024
- Renewable share of energy use
- 9.6% 2022
- Electricity from renewables
- 22.5% 2021
- Electricity from fossil fuels
- 77.5% 2021
Transport
- Airports
- 21 2025
Science and innovation
- High-tech share of manufactured exports
- 5.3% 2015