|RConstitution:|N Republic, a French Overseas Department.
|RNature and climate:|N A group of islands in the south-west Pacific Ocean.
Main islands are:
1. New Caledonia, with Melanesian, French and mixed population. Mainly mountainous but with fertile coastal planes.
2. The Loyalty Islands, 100 km east of New Caledonia, consisting of three large islands, Maré, Lifou and Uvéa, and many small islands. 15 000 people live on these islands, nearly all Melanesian, except on Uvéa were some Polynesian live. The inhabitants are predominantly occupied in agriculture. Main crop is coconuts and the chief export is copra.
3. The Isles of Pines, 50 km south-est of New Caledonia and with a population of 1 300. A tourist and fishing centre.
4. The Bélep Archipelago, 50 km north-west of New Caledonia have a population of 700.
Furthermore several small islands with no permanent inhabitants. The largest are the Chesterfield Islands, a group of 11 forested coral islets, 550 km west of the Bélep Archipelago.
The Huon Islands, 4 barren coral islands 225 km north of Bélep Archipelago.
Walpole, a limestone coral island, 150 km east of Isle of Pines.
The Matthew Island and Hunter Island, 250 km, respectively 330 km east of Walpole are active vulcanic islands also claimed by Vanuatu.
|RPeople:|N Of a total of 145 000 people (in 1983) there are 54 000 Europeans most French, 62 000 Melanesian Kanaks, 7 700 Vietnamese and Indonesians, 5 600 Polynesians and 12 000 Wallisians.
|REconomy:|N New Caledonia is one of the world's largest producers of nickel. Other minerals are chromium, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead and copper. The nickel deposits are of special value, being without arsenic.
Also extensive stockfarming.
Main crops are coffee, copra, maize, fruits and vegetables. 30% of the working population is occupied in agriculture.
Fishing and forestry also important.
Local industries produce chlorine, oxygen, cement, soft drinks, barbed wires, nails, pleasure and fishing boats and clothing.
|RHistory:|N New Caledonia was discovered by James Cook 1774 and acquired by France 1853. Penalty colony 1864 to 1894. It was made an Overseas Department in 1958.
In 1987 the New Caledonian voters in a referendum choosed to remain within the French republic.
In 1988 there were severe clashes between Melanesians (Kanaks) and French.
