New Caledonia is located in the Australia and Oceania region at latitude -21.25 and longitude 165.5 and is part of the Oceania region.
The DMS coordinates for the center of the country are:
- 21° 15' 0'' S
- 165° 30' 0'' E
You can see the location of New Caledonia on the world map below:
Maritime Borders
New Caledonia has no land borders; it lies in the Coral Sea of the South Pacific, about 1,200 km east of Australia.
New Caledonia Key Facts
| Country | New Caledonia |
| Coordinates | Latitude: -21.25 Longitude: 165.5 |
| Country Codes | Alpha 2: NC Alpha 3: NCL |
| Country Flag Emoji | 🇳🇨 |
| Int. Phone Prefix | +687 |
| Capital city | Nouméa |
| Continent Subcontinent | Oceania Australia and Oceania |
| Country Area | 18575 sq km |
| Population 2025 | 295,333 World Rank: 178 |
| Median Age | 34 |
| Life expectancy | 78.9 |
| Major languages | French (official) |
| UTC/GMT Time | Number of time zones: 1
|
| Internet TLD | .nc |
| Biggest Airport | La Tontouta International Airport (NOU) |
| Average temperature | 23 °C 73 °F |
| Administrative Divisions | 3 provinces |
| Political system | Sui generis collectivity of France |
New Caledonia Economy Facts
| World Bank Income Group | High income |
| World Bank Region | East Asia & Pacific |
| Currency | CFP franc (XPF) |
| GDP in 2023 | $8.55 (billions of USD) World Rank: 159 |
| GDP per capita in 2023 | $29,213 World Rank: 58 |
| Major Industries / Economic Sectors | Nickel mining and smelting, tourism, fishing |
| Top 5 Import Countries | France, China, Singapore, Australia, South Korea |
| Top 5 Export Countries | China, Japan, South Korea, France, Australia |
Biggest Cities in New Caledonia
Here are the largest cities in New Caledonia based on 2024 data:
| City | Population |
|---|
| Nouméa | 93,060 | Mont-Dore | 24,680 | Dumbéa | 19,346 |
Map of New Caledonia with the Largest Cities
Other Countries in the Australia and Oceania Region
- Where are the Cook Islands?
- Where are the Marshall Islands?
- Where are the Northern Mariana Islands?
- Where are the Pitcairn Islands?
- Where are the Solomon Islands?
- Where is American Samoa?
- Where is Australia?
- Where is Fiji?
- Where is French Polynesia?
- Where is Guam?
- Where is Kiribati?
- Where is Micronesia?
- Where is Nauru?
- Where is New Zealand?
- Where is Niue?
- Where is Norfolk Island?
- Where is Palau?
- Where is Papua New Guinea?
- Where is Samoa?
- Where is Tokelau?
- Where is Tonga?
- Where is Tuvalu?
- Where is Vanuatu?
- Where is Wallis and Futuna?
Geography
New Caledonia is a Melanesian archipelago in the southwest Pacific, about 1,200 kilometres east of Australia. It centres on a long, mountainous main island, Grande Terre, ringed by one of the world’s largest lagoons, plus the Loyalty Islands and other smaller groups.
The territory holds an estimated quarter of the world’s known nickel reserves, which dominate its economy.
Is New Caledonia a country?
New Caledonia has a unique “sui generis” status within France — a special arrangement granting it broad self-government. Three independence referendums between 2018 and 2021 each narrowly rejected full independence, and its political future remains an open question.
| Status | Sui generis collectivity of France |
| Sovereign state | France |
| Capital | Nouméa |
| Population | 292,639 |
| Area | 18575 km² |
| Currency | CFP franc (XPF) |
| Official language(s) | French (official) |
| ISO 3166 code | NC / NCL |
| Calling code | +687 |
| Internet TLD | .nc |
New Caledonia in its region
New Caledonia sits east of Australia in the Coral Sea, with Vanuatu to the northeast and Fiji further east.
Climate
New Caledonia has a tropical climate moderated by trade winds, averaging about 23°C (73°F). A warmer, wetter season from November to March brings the risk of cyclones; the rest of the year is drier and pleasant.
Economy
New Caledonia holds an estimated quarter of the world’s nickel reserves, and mining and metal processing dominate its high-income economy alongside tourism and substantial financial support from France. Nickel prices heavily influence its fortunes.
Administrative divisions
New Caledonia is divided into three provinces — South, North and the Loyalty Islands — with most of the population concentrated around the capital, Nouméa, in the south.
