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Compare New Caledonia (2002) - Southern Ocean (2004)

Compare New Caledonia (2002) z Southern Ocean (2004)

 New Caledonia (2002)Southern Ocean (2004)
 New CaledoniaSouthern Ocean
Administrative divisions none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud -
Age structure 0-14 years: 30% (male 31,862; female 30,577)


15-64 years: 64.1% (male 67,043; female 66,102)


65 years and over: 5.9% (male 5,777; female 6,497) (2002 est.)
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Agriculture - products vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products -
Airports 29 (2001) -
Airports - with paved runways total: 9


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 6


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
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Airports - with unpaved runways total: 21


914 to 1,523 m: 12


under 914 m: 9 (2002)
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Area total: 19,060 sq km


land: 18,575 sq km


water: 485 sq km
total: 20.327 million sq km


note: includes Amundsen Sea, Bellingshausen Sea, part of the Drake Passage, Ross Sea, a small part of the Scotia Sea, Weddell Sea, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative slightly smaller than New Jersey slightly more than twice the size of the US
Background Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated. A decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean - the Southern Ocean - from the southern portions of the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude, which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the Arctic Ocean).
Birth rate 19.91 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) -
Budget revenues: $861.3 million


expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.)
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Capital Noumea -
Climate tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid sea temperatures vary from about 10 degrees Celsius to -2 degrees Celsius; cyclonic storms travel eastward around the continent and frequently are intense because of the temperature contrast between ice and open ocean; the ocean area from about latitude 40 south to the Antarctic Circle has the strongest average winds found anywhere on Earth; in winter the ocean freezes outward to 65 degrees south latitude in the Pacific sector and 55 degrees south latitude in the Atlantic sector, lowering surface temperatures well below 0 degrees Celsius; at some coastal points intense persistent drainage winds from the interior keep the shoreline ice-free throughout the winter
Coastline 2,254 km 17,968 km
Constitution 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) -
Country name conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies


conventional short form: New Caledonia


local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances


local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
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Currency Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 -
Death rate 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) -
Debt - external $79 million (1998 est.) -
Dependency status overseas territory of France since 1956 -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas territory of France) -
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas territory of France) -
Disputes - international Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu Antarctic Treaty defers claims (see Antarctica entry), but Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, NZ, Norway, and UK assert claims (some overlapping), including the continental shelf in the Southern Ocean; several states have expressed an interest in extending those continental shelf claims under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to include undersea ridges; the US and most other states do not recognize the land or maritime claims of other states and have made no claims themselves (the US and Russia have reserved the right to do so); no formal claims have been made in the sector between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west
Economic aid - recipient $880 million annual subsidy from France -
Economy - overview New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. Strikes in the building industry in 2001, which lasted four months, adversely affected many other sectors of the economy. French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are being transferred to local ownership. Fisheries in 2000-01 (1 July to 30 June) landed 112,934 metric tons, of which 87% was krill and 11% Patagonian toothfish. International agreements were adopted in late 1999 to reduce illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which in the 2000-01 season landed, by one estimate, 8,376 metric tons of Patagonian and antarctic toothfish. In the 2000-01 antarctic summer 12,248 tourists, most of them seaborne, visited the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, compared to 14,762 the previous year.
Electricity - consumption 1.455 billion kWh (2000) -
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) -
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) -
Electricity - production 1.565 billion kWh (2000) -
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 78%


hydro: 22%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
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Elevation extremes lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m


highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m
lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the South Sandwich Trench


highest point: sea level 0 m
Environment - current issues erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires increased solar ultraviolet radiation resulting from the Antarctic ozone hole in recent years, reducing marine primary productivity (phytoplankton) by as much as 15% and damaging the DNA of some fish; illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing in recent years, especially the landing of an estimated five to six times more Patagonian toothfish than the regulated fishery, which is likely to affect the sustainability of the stock; large amount of incidental mortality of seabirds resulting from long-line fishing for toothfish


note: the now-protected fur seal population is making a strong comeback after severe overexploitation in the 18th and 19th centuries
Environment - international agreements - the Southern Ocean is subject to all international agreements regarding the world's oceans; in addition, it is subject to these agreements specific to the Antarctic region: International Whaling Commission (prohibits commercial whaling south of 40 degrees south [south of 60 degrees south between 50 degrees and 130 degrees west]); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (limits sealing); Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (regulates fishing)


note: many nations (including the US) prohibit mineral resource exploration and exploitation south of the fluctuating Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) which is in the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and serves as the dividing line between the very cold polar surface waters to the south and the warmer waters to the north
Ethnic groups Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3% -
Exchange rates Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 135.04 (January 2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro -
Executive branch chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3 July 2002)


head of government: President of the Government Pierre FROGIER (since 5 April 2001)


cabinet: Consultative Committee


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress; note - last election held 28 November 2002 when Pierre FROGIER was reelected
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Exports $400 million f.o.b. (2000) -
Exports - commodities ferronickels, nickel ore, fish -
Exports - partners Japan 25.8%, France 18.8%, Taiwan 12%, Australia 8.2%, US 3.0% (1999) -
Fiscal year calendar year -
Flag description the flag of France is used -
GDP purchasing power parity - $3.1 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 5%


industry: 30%


services: 65% (1997 est.)
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GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 2.1% (2000 est.) -
Geographic coordinates 21 30 S, 165 30 E 65 00 S, 0 00 E (nominally), but the Southern Ocean has the unique distinction of being a large circumpolar body of water totally encircling the continent of Antarctica; this ring of water lies between 60 degrees south latitude and the coast of Antarctica and encompasses 360 degrees of longitude
Geography - note consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls the major chokepoint is the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica; the Polar Front (Antarctic Convergence) is the best natural definition of the northern extent of the Southern Ocean; it is a distinct region at the middle of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that separates the very cold polar surface waters to the south from the warmer waters to the north; the Front and the Current extend entirely around Antarctica, reaching south of 60 degrees south near New Zealand and near 48 degrees south in the far South Atlantic coinciding with the path of the maximum westerly winds
Heliports 5 (2002) -
Highways total: 4,825 km


paved: 2,287 km


unpaved: 2,538 km (1999)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
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Imports $1 billion f.o.b. (2000) -
Imports - commodities transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice -
Imports - partners France 50.2%, Australia 15.1%, Singapore 5.9%, New Zealand 5.2%, Japan 3.7% (1999) -
Independence none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014 -
Industrial production growth rate -0.6% (1996) -
Industries nickel mining and smelting -
Infant mortality rate 8.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) -
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.3% (2000 est.) -
International organization participation ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO -
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) -
Irrigated land 160 sq km (1991) -
Judicial branch Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court -
Labor force 79,395 (including 15,018 unemployed, 1996) -
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.) -
Land boundaries 0 km -
Land use arable land: 0.38%


permanent crops: 0.33%


other: 99.29% (1998 est.)
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Languages French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects -
Legal system the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law -
Legislative branch unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1


note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA
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Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.27 years


male: 70.32 years


female: 76.36 years (2002 est.)
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Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 91%


male: 92%


female: 90% (1976 est.)
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Location Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia body of water between 60 degrees south latitude and Antarctica
Map references Oceania Antarctic Region
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
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Merchant marine total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT


ships by type: cargo 1


note: includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Malaysia 1 (2002 est.)
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Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force -
Military expenditures - dollar figure $192.3 million (FY96) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.3% (FY96) -
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) -
Nationality noun: New Caledonian(s)


adjective: New Caledonian
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Natural hazards cyclones, most frequent from November to March huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5 to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances; high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and rescue
Natural resources nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper probable large and possible giant oil and gas fields on the continental margin, manganese nodules, possible placer deposits, sand and gravel, fresh water as icebergs; squid, whales, and seals - none exploited; krill, fishes
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) -
Political parties and leaders Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Raphael MAPOU]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO] -
Political pressure groups and leaders NA -
Population 207,858 (July 2002 est.) -
Population below poverty line NA% -
Population growth rate 1.43% (2002 est.) -
Ports and harbors Mueo, Noumea, Thio McMurdo, Palmer, and offshore anchorages in Antarctica


note: few ports or harbors exist on the southern side of the Southern Ocean; ice conditions limit use of most of them to short periods in midsummer; even then some cannot be entered without icebreaker escort; most antarctic ports are operated by government research stations and, except in an emergency, are not open to commercial or private vessels; vessels in any port south of 60 degrees south are subject to inspection by Antarctic Treaty observers (see Article 7)
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) -
Radios 107,000 (1997) -
Railways 0 km (2002) -
Religions Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% -
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: 0.89 male(s)/female


total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
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Suffrage 18 years of age; universal -
Telephone system general assessment: NA


domestic: NA


international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
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Telephones - main lines in use 47,000 (1997) -
Telephones - mobile cellular 13,040 (1998) -
Television broadcast stations 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997) -
Terrain coastal plains with interior mountains the Southern Ocean is deep, 4,000 to 5,000 meters over most of its extent with only limited areas of shallow water; the Antarctic continental shelf is generally narrow and unusually deep, its edge lying at depths of 400 to 800 meters (the global mean is 133 meters); the Antarctic icepack grows from an average minimum of 2.6 million square kilometers in March to about 18.8 million square kilometers in September, better than a sixfold increase in area; the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (21,000 km in length) moves perpetually eastward; it is the world's largest ocean current, transporting 130 million cubic meters of water per second - 100 times the flow of all the world's rivers
Total fertility rate 2.44 children born/woman (2002 est.) -
Transportation - note - Drake Passage offers alternative to transit through the Panama Canal
Unemployment rate 19% (1996) -
Waterways none -
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