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GeographyLocation
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia Geographic coordinates
21 30 S, 165 30 E
Map references
Oceania
Area World Ranking: 156
Total 18,575 sq km
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 Volcanism Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active 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
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New Caledonia [ France ] (Overseas Territory):
 
GPS points from New Caledonia [ France ] (Overseas Territory)
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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 a referendum between 2014 and 2018 to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.