New Caledonia People - 2023

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Population

300,682 (2023 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

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

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

French audio sample:

Religions

Christian 85.2%, Muslim 2.8%, other 1.6%, unaffiliated 10.4% (2020 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.96% (male 32,199/female 30,825)

15-64 years: 68.45% (male 103,611/female 102,208)

65 years and over: 10.59% (2023 est.) (male 13,914/female 17,925)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 49.6

youth dependency ratio: 33.6

elderly dependency ratio: 16

potential support ratio: 6.3 (2021 est.)

Median age

total: 32.9 years

male: 32.1 years

female: 33.7 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

1.17% (2023 est.)

Birth rate

13.96 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

5.92 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Net migration rate

3.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 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: 72.7% of total population (2023)

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

total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030

Major urban areas - population

198,000 NOUMEA (capital) (2018)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

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

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 5.88 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 3.91 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 79.06 years

male: 75.19 years

female: 83.13 years (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.84 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.9 (2023 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

N/A

Drinking water source

improved: urban: N/A

rural: N/A

total: 99.3% of population

unimproved: urban: N/A

rural: N/A

total: 0.7% of population (2020 est.)

Current health expenditure

N/A

Physicians density

N/A

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: N/A

rural: N/A

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: N/A

rural: N/A

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

N/A

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

22.5% (2023 est.)

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)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 41%

male: 39.2%

female: 43.2% (2021 est.)

NOTE: The information regarding New Caledonia on this page is re-published from the 2023 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of New Caledonia 2023 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about New Caledonia 2023 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.