Part 603

Birth rate: 21.43 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 4.86 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years : 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 13.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.68 years male: 71.4 years female: 78.11 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.5 children born/woman (1997 est.)

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

Ethnic groups: 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%

Languages: French, 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92% female: 90% (1976 est.)

@New Caledonia:Government

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

Data code: NC

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1956

Government type: NA

National capital: Noumea

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

Independence: none (overseas territory of France; a referendum on independence will be held in 1998)

National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Dominque BUR (since NA August 1995) head of government: President of the Territorial Congress Pierre FROGIER (since 31 July 1995) cabinet: Consultative Committee elections: high commissioner appointed by the president of France on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Congress elected by the members of the congress

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 six-year terms) elections: last held 9 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR 22, FLNKS 12, UNCT 7, various left parties 7, various right parties 6 note : New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 21 March 1993 (next to be held 25 May-1 June 1997 - special election); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR 2

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique or RPCR (conservative) [Jacques LAFLEUR, president] - affiliated to France's Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (also called South Province Party); Melanesian proindependence Kanaka Socialist National Liberation Front or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN]; Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]; National Front or FN (extreme right) [Guy GEORGE]; Caledonie Demain or CD (right-wing) [Bernard MARANT]; Union Oceanienne or UO (conservative) [Michel HEMA]; Front de Developpement des Iles Loyautes or FDIL [Cono HAMU]; Union Caledonian or UC [Francois BURCK, president]; A New Caledonia for All or UNCT [Didier LEROUX]