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New Caledonia Demographics Profile

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Population293,608 (July 2021 est.)
Nationalitynoun: New Caledonian(s)

adjective: New Caledonian
Ethnic groupsKanak 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.)
LanguagesFrench (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.
ReligionsRoman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%
Age structure0-14 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 ratiostotal dependency ratio: 46.6

youth dependency ratio: 32.4

elderly dependency ratio: 14.2

potential support ratio: 7 (2020 est.)
Median agetotal: 32.9 years

male: 32.1 years

female: 33.7 years (2020 est.)
Population growth rate1.22% (2021 est.)
Birth rate14.28 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Death rate5.84 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Net migration rate3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New Caledonia
Population distributionmost of the populace lives in the southern part of the main island, in and around the capital of Noumea
Urbanizationurban population: 71.9% of total population (2021)

rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major cities - population198,000 NOUMEA (capital) (2018)
Sex ratioat 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 ratetotal: 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 birthtotal population: 78.59 years

male: 74.66 years

female: 82.71 years (2021 est.)
Total fertility rate1.87 children born/woman (2021 est.)
Drinking water sourceimproved: total: 100% of population

unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
Physicians density2.22 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
Sanitation facility accessimproved: total: 100% of population

unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rateNA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDSNA
HIV/AIDS - deathsNA
Major infectious diseasesdegree of risk: high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: malaria
Education expendituresNA
Literacydefinition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.9%

male: 97.3%

female: 96.5% (2015)

Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021