4; female 65,006)

65 years and over: 5.74% (male 5,548; female 6,205) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.48% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 20.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.02 years

male: 70.08 years

female: 76.11 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.48 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

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 (official), 33 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

Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1956

Government type: NA

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); note - a
referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass

National holiday: Bastille Day, 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 Thierry
LATASTE (since 19 July 1999)

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