PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in
the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The
Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour
l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist,
but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de
Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM
[Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
FZ, ICFTU, PIF (observer), 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
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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.158 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $15,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 5%
industry: 30%
services: 65% (1997 est.)

Labor force:
79,400 (including 15,018 unemployed) (1996)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate:
19% (1996)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.6% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $861.3 million
expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52
million (1996 est.)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products

Industries:
nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production:
1.581 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 76.3%
hydro: 23.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption: