Cruising to 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

Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 19,060 sq 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

Economy

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 one-fourth 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.

Transportation

Airports: 25 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 11
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 14
Roadways: total: 5,432 km (2000)

Merchant marine

Total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 3,566 GRT/2,543 DWT
By type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1 (2005)

Sailing Specifics: Ports and terminals

Noumea

Disputes

Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu

Other Sailing Destinations in the Region

American Samoa - Australia - Cook Island - Easter Islands (Chile) - Federation of Micronesia - Fiji - Guam - USA (Hawaii) - Kiribati - Marshall Islands - Nauru - New Caledonia - New Zealand - Niue - Norfolk Island - Northern Mariana Islands - Palau - Papua New Guinea - Pitcairn Island - Samoa - Solomon Island - Tokelau - Tonga - Tuvalu - Vanuatu - Wallis and Futuna