New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a French territory in the Pacific that sits inside the second largest coral reef system in the world.
- CapitalNoumeaOn the main island of Grande Terre
- PopulationAbout 270,000A mix of Kanak, European and Pacific peoples
- Area18,575 km2Grande Terre plus the Loyalty Islands
- StatusFrench overseas territoryNot an independent country
New Caledonia is a long, narrow main island called Grande Terre, plus the Loyalty Islands and the Isle of Pines. A barrier reef runs almost the whole way round Grande Terre, enclosing a lagoon so large and so rich in life that UNESCO made it a World Heritage Site in 2008.
It is a French overseas territory rather than an independent country, and that has been argued over for decades. The indigenous Kanak people have pushed for independence, and three referendums were held between 2018 and 2021, each one voting narrowly to stay with France.
National symbols
- National bird Kagu, a flightless grey forest bird that barks
- Colours Blue, red and green on the Kanak flag; France uses the tricolour
- Anthem La Marseillaise, plus the local song Soyons Unis, Devenons Freres
- Public holiday New Caledonia Day, 24 September
Map of New Caledonia
Geography
New Caledonia covers 18,575 km2 about 1,200 km east of Australia, with no land borders. Grande Terre is roughly 400 km long but only 50 km wide, with a mountain chain running down its spine.
The barrier reef around Grande Terre is around 1,500 km long, second only to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The soil in the south is unusually rich in metals, which is why strange plants that tolerate nickel grow there and almost nowhere else.
Climate
The climate is tropical but moderated by ocean winds, usually 20C to 30C. There is a warm, wet season from November to April and a cooler, drier one from May to October.
The east coast catches far more rain than the west, because the central mountains block the moist trade winds. Cyclones can hit during the wet season.
Culture
French is the official language, and around 30 Kanak languages are spoken as well. The Kanak are the indigenous Melanesian people and make up around 40 per cent of the population.
Most people are Christian, mainly Catholic. Kanak culture centres on the clan, the customary chief and the grande case, a tall round hut with a carved spire, and gift exchanges called la coutume mark every important occasion.
Economy
Nickel is the whole story. New Caledonia holds around a quarter of the world's known nickel and the mines and smelters dominate exports and employment.
France also sends large financial transfers to the territory, and tourism brings visitors from Australia, New Zealand and Japan to the lagoon and the Isle of Pines.
The flag
Two flags fly side by side. The French tricolour of blue, white and red represents the territory's status as part of France.
Alongside it flies the Kanak flag: horizontal bands of blue for the sky and sea, red for the blood of the struggle for independence, and green for the land, with a yellow disc carrying the black outline of a fleche faitiere, the carved spire that tops a traditional Kanak house.