Urbanization:
urban population: 93% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1.6% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 156 male: 9.76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.65 years country comparison to the world: 65 male: 74.33 years
female: 79.09 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.97 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: Dutch Antillean(s)
adjective: Dutch Antillean
Ethnic groups:
mixed black 85%, other 15% (includes Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-DayAdventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, otherChristian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2%(2001 census)
Languages:
Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect),English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%,Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.7%
male: 96.7%
female: 96.8% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 14 years
male: 14 years
female: 15 years (2002)
Education expenditures:
Government ::Netherlands Antilles
Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
local long form: none
local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
former: Curacao and Dependencies
Dependency status:
an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Government type:
parliamentary
Capital:
name: Willemstad (on Curacao)
geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note: each island has its own government
Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Constitution:
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
Legal system:
based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26 March 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held by 2010)
note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP-St. M, UPB, WIPM Saba, DP-St. E
Legislative branch:
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats, Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB 2, DP-St. E 1, DP-St. M 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1
note: the government is a coalition of several parties
Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]
Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; DemocraticParty of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO];Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [NelsonPIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New AntillesMovement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat ISeguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular orPLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emilyde JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DELANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS];Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]
Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward IslandsPeople's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]
Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E[Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St.Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]
Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [SarahWESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party[Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN];People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St.Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party[Bienvenido RICHARDSON]
note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Employers Association (VBC); Unions (AVBO)
International organization participation:
Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate),UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066
Flag description:
white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
Economy ::Netherlands Antilles
Economy - overview:
Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has declined or grown slightly in each of the past eight years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Most of the oil Netherlands Antilles imports for its refineries come from Venezuela. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US, Italy, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging population. The Netherlands provides financial aid to support the economy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.8 billion (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 175
GDP (official exchange rate):
GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 175
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,000 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 74
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (2000 est.)
Labor force:
91,470 (2007) country comparison to the world: 177
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 20%
services: 79% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
15.5% (2002 est.) country comparison to the world: 157
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $757.9 million
expenditures: $949.5 million (2004)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
Central bank discount rate:
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
8.33% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 90 9.21% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$997.8 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$2.309 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$2.927 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 23 $488.6 billion (2003)
Agriculture - products:
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Industries:
tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Industrial production growth rate:
Electricity - production:
1.22 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Electricity - consumption:
1.013 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
Oil - consumption:
71,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 89
Oil - exports:
224,600 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 52
Oil - imports:
298,500 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 39
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 147
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 139
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Exports:
$3.71 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 119
Exports - commodities:
petroleum products
Exports - partners:
US 19%, Guatemala 10.6%, Dominican Republic 9.3%, Haiti 7.4%, Singapore 6.7%, Bahamas, The 5.9%, Italy 4.5%, Honduras 4.4%, Mexico 4.1% (2008)
Imports:
$15.74 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 79
Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners:
Venezuela 58.8%, US 19%, Brazil 5.9% (2008)
Debt - external:
$2.68 billion (2004) country comparison to the world: 130
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Exchange rates:
Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)
Communications ::Netherlands Antilles
Telephones - main lines in use:
88,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 147
Telephones - mobile cellular:
200,000 (2004) country comparison to the world: 171
Telephone system:
general assessment: generally adequate facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 599; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003)
Television broadcast stations:
3 (there is also a cable service that supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and 4 Venezuelan channels) (2003)
Internet country code:
.an
Internet hosts:
71,671 (2009) country comparison to the world: 77
Transportation ::Netherlands Antilles
Airports:
5 (2009) country comparison to the world: 179
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 845
Merchant marine:
total: 147 country comparison to the world: 42 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2, cargo 72, carrier 19, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 3
foreign-owned: 123 (Belgium 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 21, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Hong Kong 2, Netherlands 38, Norway 3, Sweden 1, Turkey 10, US 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Bopec Terminal, Willemstad
Military ::Netherlands Antilles
Military branches:
no regular military forces; National Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 55,365
females age 16-49: 57,060 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 46,461
females age 16-49: 47,325 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 1,920
female: 1,827 (2009 est.)
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Transnational Issues ::Netherlands Antilles
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center
page last updated on November 10, 2009
======================================================================
@New Caledonia (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::New Caledonia
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.
Geography ::New Caledonia
Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 18,575 sq km country comparison to the world: 155 land: 18,275 sq km
water: 300 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
2,254 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid
Terrain:
coastal plains with interior mountains
Elevation extremes:
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: 0.32%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 99.46% (2005)
Irrigated land:
100 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
cyclones, most frequent from November to March
Environment - current issues:
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires
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
People ::New Caledonia
Population:
227,436 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 181
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26.8% (male 31,191/female 29,870)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 75,189/female 74,552)
65 years and over: 7.3% (male 7,681/female 8,953) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 28.7 years
male: 28.2 years
female: 29.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.136% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 118
Birth rate:
17.04 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 121
Death rate:
5.68 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
Net migration rate:
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia (2009 est.)
Urbanization:
urban population: 65% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
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: 0.86 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.05 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 168 male: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.98 years country comparison to the world: 85 male: 71.99 years
female: 78.12 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.18 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 119
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Nationality:
noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian
Ethnic groups:
Melanesian 44.1%, European 34.1%, Wallisian & Futunian 9%, Tahitian 2.6%, Indonesian 2.5%, Vietnamese 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1.1%, other 5.2% (1996 census)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Languages:
French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.2%
male: 96.8%
female: 95.5% (1996 census)
Government ::New Caledonia
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
Dependency status:
territorial collectivity of France since 1998
Government type:
Capital:
name: Noumea
geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
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
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)
Legal system:
based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
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 Philippe GOMES (since 5 June 2009)
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)
Legislative branch:
elections: 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) last held 9 May 2009 (next to be held in 10 May 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 13, Caledonia Together 10, UC 8, UNI 8, AE 6, FLNKS 3, Labor Party 3, other 3
note: New Caledonia holds two seats in the French Senate; elections last held 21 September 2008 (next to be held not later than September 2014); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2; 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
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint CommerceTribunal Court; Children's Court
Political parties and leaders:
Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; CaledoniaTogether [Philippe GOMES]; Caledonian Union or UC [Charles PIDJOT];Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI[Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Jean-Marie LE PEN]; FrontUni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Labor Party or PT[Louis Kora UREGEI]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberationor FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de LiberationKanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Rally for Caledonia or RPC[Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Didier LEROUX]; TheRally or UMP [Pierre FROGIER]; Union Nationale pour l'Independanceor UNI; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
International organization participation:
ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description:
the flag of France is used
Economy ::New Caledonia
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.158 billion (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 172
GDP (official exchange rate):
$3.3 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,000 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 76
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 8.8%
services: 76.2% (2003)
Labor force:
102,600 (2007) country comparison to the world: 176
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 20%
services: 60% (2002)
Unemployment rate:
17.1% (2004) country comparison to the world: 159
Population below poverty line:
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $996 million
expenditures: $1.072 billion (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2000 est.) country comparison to the world: 11
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Agriculture - products:
vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish
Industries:
nickel mining and smelting
Electricity - production:
1.825 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 136
Electricity - consumption:
1.697 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 137
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158
Oil - consumption:
13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 142
Oil - exports:
645.3 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 123
Oil - imports:
14,430 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 126
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 153
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 146
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 156
Exports:
$1.341 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 145
Exports - commodities:
ferronickels, nickel ore, fish
Exports - partners:
France 18.9%, Japan 18.3%, Spain 7.3%, China 6.5%, Belgium 5.4%,Australia 4.6% (2008)
Imports:
$1.998 billion (2006) country comparison to the world: 149
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners:
France 36.6%, Singapore 17.7%, Australia 11.5%, NZ 4.7% (2008)
Debt - external:
$79 million (1998 est.) country comparison to the world: 190
Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 87.59 (2007), 94.97 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)
Communications ::New Caledonia
Telephones - main lines in use:
63,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 157
Telephones - mobile cellular:
196,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 172
Telephone system:
general assessment: a submarine cable network connection between New Caledonia and Australia, completed in 2007, is expected to significantly increase network capacity and improve high-speed connectivity and access to international networks
domestic: combined fixed and mobile-cellular telephone subscribership exceeds 100 per 100 persons
international: country code - 687; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
6 (plus 25 repeaters) (1997)
Internet country code:
.nc
Internet hosts:
22,448 (2009) country comparison to the world: 101
Internet users:
85,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 159
Transportation ::New Caledonia
Airports:
25 (2009) country comparison to the world: 130
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Heliports:
8 (2009)
Roadways:
total: 5,622 km (2006) country comparison to the world: 151
Merchant marine:
total: 2 country comparison to the world: 146 by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Noumea
Military ::New Caledonia
Military branches:
no regular military forces; French police and gendarmerie (2009)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 57,738 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 48,288
females age 16-49: 48,959 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 2,160
female: 2,087 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues ::New Caledonia
Disputes - international:
Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
page last updated on November 10, 2009
======================================================================
@New Zealand (Australia-Oceania)
Introduction ::New Zealand
Background:
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D. 800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain, the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars. New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to address longstanding Maori grievances.
Geography ::New Zealand
Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Oceania
Area:
total: 267,710 sq km country comparison to the world: 75 land: 267,710 sq km
water: NA
note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area - comparative:
about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
15,134 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain:
predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Aoraki-Mount Cook 3,754 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 5.54%
permanent crops: 6.92%
other: 87.54% (2005)
Irrigated land:
2,850 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
397 cu km (1995)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.11 cu km/yr (48%/9%/42%)
per capita: 524 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by invasive species
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine LivingResources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, MarineDumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic Seals, Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
almost 90% of the population lives in cities; Wellington is the southernmost national capital in the world
People ::New Zealand
Population:
4,213,418 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 124
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.7% (male 447,174/female 424,522)
15-64 years: 66.5% (male 1,404,143/female 1,399,530)
65 years and over: 12.8% (male 244,986/female 293,063) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 36.6 years
male: 35.8 years
female: 37.4 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.935% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Birth rate:
13.94 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Death rate:
7.05 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 131
Net migration rate:
2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 35
Urbanization:
urban population: 87% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 192 male: 5.53 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.36 years country comparison to the world: 18 male: 78.43 years
female: 82.39 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.1 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.1% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1,400 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 140
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 121