New Caledonia (2007) | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2001) | |
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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 Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province Sud | 6 parishes; Charlotte, Grenadines, Saint Andrew, Saint David, Saint George, Saint Patrick |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 27.9% (male 31,578/female 30,270)
15-64 years: 65.3% (male 72,821/female 72,109) 65 years and over: 6.8% (male 7,047/female 8,118) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years:
29.61% (male 17,466; female 16,865) 15-64 years: 64.04% (male 38,074; female 36,179) 65 years and over: 6.35% (male 3,162; female 4,196) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish | bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes, spices; small numbers of cattle, sheep, pigs, goats; fish |
Airports | 25 (2007) | 6 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 12
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
total:
5 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 6 (2007) |
total:
1 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 19,060 sq km
land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km |
total:
389 sq km (Saint Vincent 344 sq km) land: 389 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than New Jersey | twice the size of Washington, DC |
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 ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence. | Disputed between France and Great Britain in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969, and independence in 1979. |
Birth rate | 17.75 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 17.91 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $996 million
expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.) |
revenues:
$85.7 million expenditures: $98.6 million, including capital expenditures of $25.7 million (1997 est.) |
Capital | name: Noumea
geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Kingstown |
Climate | tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid | tropical; little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season (May to November) |
Coastline | 2,254 km | 84 km |
Constitution | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) | 27 October 1979 |
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 |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
Currency | - | East Caribbean dollar (XCD) |
Death rate | 5.72 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 6.16 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $79 million (1998 est.) | $99.3 million (1998) |
Dependency status | territorial collectivity of France since 1998 | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | the US does not have an embassy in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; the US Ambassador in Barbados is accredited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | chief of mission:
Ambassador Ellsworth JOHN chancery: 3216 New Mexico Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 364-6730 FAX: [1] (202) 364-6736 |
Disputes - international | Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $524.3 million annual subsidy from France (2004) | $47.5 million (1995); note - EU $34.5 million (1998) |
Economy - overview | New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for the next several years. | Agriculture, dominated by banana production, is the most important sector of this lower-middle-income economy. The services sector, based mostly on a growing tourist industry, is also important. The government has been relatively unsuccessful at introducing new industries, and a high unemployment rate persists. The continuing dependence on a single crop represents the biggest obstacle to the islands' development; tropical storms wiped out substantial portions of crops in both 1994 and 1995. The tourism sector has considerable potential for development over the next decade. Recent growth has been stimulated by strong activity in the construction sector and an improvement in tourism. There is a small manufacturing sector and a small offshore financial sector whose particularly restrictive secrecy laws have caused some international concern. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.403 billion kWh (2005) | 76.3 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 1.508 billion kWh (2005) | 82 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
73.17% hydro: 26.83% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Soufriere 1,234 m |
Environment - current issues | erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires | pollution of coastal waters and shorelines from discharges by pleasure yachts and other effluents; in some areas, pollution is severe enough to make swimming prohibitive |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3% | black 66%, mixed 19%, East Indian 6%, Carib Amerindian 2% |
Exchange rates | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.025 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002) | East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7000 (fixed rate since 1976) |
Executive branch | chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007); represented by High Commissioner Yves DASSONVILLE (since 9 November 2007)
head of government: President of the Government Harold MARTIN (since 7 August 2007) cabinet: Cabinet consisting of 11 members elected from and by the Territorial Congress 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 for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 7 August 2007 when Harold MARTIN was elected following the resignation of Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU as president on 24 July 2007 (next to be held in 2012) |
chief of state:
Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General David JACK (since 29 September 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Ralph GONSALVES (since 29 March 2001) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the governor general is appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $53.7 million (2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | ferronickels, nickel ore, fish | bananas 39%, eddoes and dasheen (taro), arrowroot starch, tennis racquets |
Exports - partners | Japan 17.8%, Taiwan 14.9%, France 13.7%, China 11.1%, Spain 9.7%, Belgium 7.5%, Italy 6.2%, Australia 4.7% (2006) | Caricom countries 49%, UK 16%, US 10% (1995) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of France is used | three vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold (double width), and green; the gold band bears three green diamonds arranged in a V pattern |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $322 million (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 15%
industry: 8.8% services: 76.2% (2003) |
agriculture:
10.6% industry: 17.5% services: 71.9% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $2,800 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | NA% | 2% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 21 30 S, 165 30 E | 13 15 N, 61 12 W |
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 administration of the islands of the Grenadines group is divided between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada |
Heliports | 6 (2007) | - |
Highways | - | total:
1,040 km paved: 320 km unpaved: 720 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | - | transshipment point for South American drugs destined for the US and Europe |
Imports | NA bbl/day | $185.6 million (2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs | foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, chemicals and fertilizers, minerals and fuels |
Imports - partners | France 38.9%, Singapore 15.3%, Australia 11.4%, NZ 4.8% (2006) | US 36%, Caricom countries 28%, UK 13% (1995) |
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 | 27 October 1979 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | -0.6% (1996) | -0.9% (1997 est.) |
Industries | nickel mining and smelting | food processing, cement, furniture, clothing, starch |
Infant mortality rate | total: 7.42 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
16.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.4% (2000 est.) | 2% (1999 est.) |
International organization participation | ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO | ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, OAS, OECS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 15 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 100 sq km (2003) | 10 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based on Saint Lucia; one judge of the Supreme Court resides in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) |
Labor force | 78,990 (2004) | 67,000 (1984 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 20%
industry: 20% services: 60% (2002) |
agriculture 26%, industry 17%, services 57% (1980 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.32%
permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005) |
arable land:
10% permanent crops: 18% permanent pastures: 5% forests and woodland: 36% other: 31% (1993 est.) |
Languages | French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects | English, French patois |
Legal system | based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands | based on English common law |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3 note: New Caledonia currently holds one seat in the French Senate; by 2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 10 and 17 June 2007 (next to be held on June 2012); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2 |
unicameral House of Assembly (21 seats, 15 elected representatives and 6 appointed senators; representatives are elected by popular vote from single-member constituencies to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 28 March 2001 (next to be held by NA March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - ULP 12, NDP 3 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.5 years
male: 71.52 years female: 77.63 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
72.56 years male: 70.83 years female: 74.34 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2% male: 96.8% female: 95.5% (1996 census) |
definition:
age 15 and over has ever attended school total population: 96% male: 96% female: 96% (1970 est.) |
Location | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia | Caribbean, islands in the Caribbean Sea, north of Trinidad and Tobago |
Map references | Oceania | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
contiguous zone:
24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,566 GRT/2,543 DWT
by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2007) |
total:
800 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 6,705,336 GRT/10,134,002 DWT ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 131, cargo 395, chemical tanker 29, combination bulk 12, combination ore/oil 1, container 46, liquefied gas 7, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large-load carrier 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 56, refrigerated cargo 42, roll on/roll off 49, short-sea passenger 11, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: China 4, Ireland 1, France 1, Greece 3, Hong Kong 1, Croatia 10, India 1, Japan 2, Monaco 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 2, Netherlands Antilles 1, Pakistan 1, Russia 1, Slovenia 5, UAE 1 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; French Armed Forces (includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force | Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (includes Special Service Unit), Coast Guard |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | $NA |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | NA% |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | Independence Day, 27 October (1979) |
Nationality | noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian |
noun:
Saint Vincentian(s) or Vincentian(s) adjective: Saint Vincentian or Vincentian |
Natural hazards | cyclones, most frequent from November to March | hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat |
Natural resources | nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper | hydropower, cropland |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2007 est.) |
-7.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independence) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; 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] | National Reform Party or NRP [Joel MIGUEL]; New Democratic Party or NDP [Arnhim EUSTACE]; People's Progressive Movement or PPM [Ken BOYEA]; Progressive Labor Party or PLP [leader NA]; United People's Movement or UPM [Adrian SAUNDERS]; Unity Labor Party or ULP [Ralph GONSALVES] (formed by the coalition of Saint Vincent Labor Party or SVLP and the Movement for National Unity or MNU) |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 221,943 (July 2007 est.) | 115,942 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.203% (2007 est.) | 0.4% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Kingstown |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 3, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 77,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% | Anglican 47%, Methodist 28%, Roman Catholic 13%, Seventh-Day Adventist, Hindu, other Protestant |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.043 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.868 male(s)/female total population: 1.009 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
general assessment:
adequate system domestic: islandwide, fully automatic telephone system; VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to the other islands of the Grenadines international: VHF/UHF radiotelephone from Saint Vincent to Barbados; new SHF radiotelephone to Grenada and to Saint Lucia; access to Intelsat earth station in Martinique through Saint Lucia |
Telephones - main lines in use | 55,300 (2005) | 20,500 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 134,300 (2005) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997) | 1 (plus three repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | coastal plains with interior mountains | volcanic, mountainous |
Total fertility rate | 2.25 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 2.06 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 17.1% (2004) | 22% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | - | none |