World Country New Caledonia

About the world country New Caledonia, its location, size, population, and who is in power.

NATIONS OF THE WORLD

NEW CALEDONIA

Location: Southwest Pacific, east of Australia. Size: 7,358 sq. mi. (19,058 sq. km.). Population: 147,000 (43% Kanak, 36% European).

Who Really Rules: New Caledonia is a French territory, administered by the French government with the advice of a locally elected assembly. In July, 1979, New Caledonians, including overseas French citizens, voted against independence, 65% to 35%. Kanak independence leaders, however, claimed that more than 80% of the Melanesian voters supported independence.

Nickel production dominates the economy. As the world's third-largest supplier, tiny New Caledonia is a valuable colony for France. Societe Le Nickel (SLN), traditionally dominated by Rothschild interest, is the major miner and processor of ore.