Part 534

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references: Oceania

Area: total area: 19,060 sq km land area: 18,575 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 2,254 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: Matthew and Hunter Islands claimed by France and Vanuatu

Climate: tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain: coastal plains with interior mountains lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources: nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 14% forest and woodland: 51% other: 35%

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: typhoons most frequent from November to March international agreements: NA

People ------

Population: 187,784 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 30% (male 28,941; female 27,929) 15-64 years: 64% (male 61,263; female 59,673) 65 years and over: 6% (male 4,750; female 5,228) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.72% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 21.75 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 4.88 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female all ages: 1.02 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.35 years male: 71.06 years female: 77.8 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.53 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Ethnic divisions: Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%