New Caledonia People - 2021

Population

293,608 (July 2021 est.)

Nationality

noun: New Caledonian(s)

adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups

Kanak 39.1%, European 27.1%, Wallisian, Futunian 8.2%, Tahitian 2.1%, Indonesian 1.4%, Ni-Vanuatu 1%, Vietnamese 0.9%, other 17.7%, unspecified 2.5% (2014 est.)

Languages

French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

printed major-language sample:
The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions

Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Age structure

0-14 years: 21.74% (male 32,227/female 30,819)

15-24 years: 15.63% (male 23,164/female 22,163)

25-54 years: 43.73% (male 63,968/female 62,856)

55-64 years: 9.06% (male 12,700/female 13,568)

65 years and over: 9.84% (male 12,552/female 15,992) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 46.6

youth dependency ratio: 32.4

elderly dependency ratio: 14.2

potential support ratio: 7 (2020 est.)

Median age

total: 32.9 years

male: 32.1 years

female: 33.7 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

1.22% (2021 est.)

Birth rate

14.28 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Death rate

5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate

3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia

Population distribution

most of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea

Urbanization

urban population: 71.9% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

198,000 NOUMEA (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.02 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 5.08 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 6.07 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 4.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.59 years

male: 74.66 years

female: 82.71 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.87 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: total: 100% of population

unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

Physicians density

2.22 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total: 100% of population

unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

N/A

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

N/A

HIV/AIDS - deaths

N/A

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: malaria

Education expenditures

N/A

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.9%

male: 97.3%

female: 96.5% (2015)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 38.4%

male: 37.1%

female: 40% (2014 est.)