Geography of New Caledonia

{{Short description|none}}  {{Infobox islands | name = New Caledonia | image_name = New Caledonia-CIA WFB Map.png | image_caption = Map of New Caledonia | image_size = | map_image = NieuwCaledonieLocatie.png | map_caption = | native_name = | native_name_link = | nickname = | location = [[Pacific Ocean]] | coordinates = {{Coord|21.350781|S|165.432129|E|display=inline}} | archipelago = | total_islands = | major_islands = | area_km2 = 18575 | rank = 53rd | length_km = 350 | width_km = 70 | highest_mount = [[Mont Panié]] | elevation_m = 1628 | country = France | country_admin_divisions_title = [[Overseas departments and territories of France]] | country_admin_divisions = [[New Caledonia]] | country_admin_divisions_title_1 = | country_admin_divisions_1 = | country_admin_divisions_title_2 = | country_admin_divisions_2 = | country_largest_city = [[Nouméa]] | country_largest_city_population = 91,386 | population = 208,709 | population_as_of = 2004 | density_km2 = 12.75 | ethnic_groups = [[Melanesians|Melanesian]] 44.6%, [[European ethnic groups|European]] 34.5%, [[Wallisian]] 9.1%, [[Tahitian people|Tahitian]] 2.7%, [[Overseas Indonesian|Indonesian]] 2.6%, [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] 1.4%, [[Ni-Vanuatu]] 1.2%, other (Filipino) 3.9% | additional_info = }}

[[New Caledonia]]{{efn|1=Previously known officially as the "Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies" ({{langx|fr|Territoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances}}), then simply as the "Territory of New Caledonia" (French: ''Territoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie''), the official French name is now only ''Nouvelle-Calédonie''.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/article_lc/LEGIARTI000006386099 |title = ''Loi n° 99-209 organique du 19 mars 1999 relative à la Nouvelle-Calédonie'' (Organic Law No. 99-209 of March 19, 1999 relating to New Caledonia), Article 222 IV |website = [[Légifrance]] |access-date = 2026-02-20}}</ref> French courts often continue to use the appellation ''Territoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie''.}} (''Nouvelle-Calédonie'') is an [[overseas collectivity]] of [[France]] located in the [[subregion]] of [[Melanesia]], with a geography that makes the continental island group unique in the [[Oceania|southwest Pacific]]. Among other things, the island chain has played a role in preserving unique biological lineages from the [[Mesozoic]]. It served as a waystation in the expansion of the predecessors of the Polynesians, the [[Lapita]] culture. Under the [[Free French]] it was a vital naval base for [[Allies of World War II|Allied Forces]] during the [[War in the Pacific]].

The archipelago is located east of Australia, north of New Zealand, south of the Equator, and just west of Fiji and Vanuatu. [[New Caledonia]] comprises a main [[island]], [[Grande Terre (New Caledonia)|Grande Terre]], the [[Loyalty Islands]], and several smaller islands. Approximately half the size of [[Taiwan]], the group has a land area of {{convert|18,575.5|km2|mi2|1|abbr=off}}. The islands have a [[coastline]] of {{convert|2,254|km|abbr=on}}. New Caledonia claims an exclusive fishing zone to a distance of {{convert|200|nmi|abbr=on|disp=or}} and a territorial sea of {{convert|12|nmi|abbr=on}} from shore.<ref>Kowasch M. and Batterbury, S.P.J. (eds.). 2024. Geographies of New Caledonia-Kanaky: environments, politics and cultures. Springer Open Access. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49140-5</ref>

New Caledonia is one of the northernmost parts of an almost entirely (93%) submerged [[continent]] called [[Zealandia (continent)|Zealandia]] which [[rift]]ed away from Antarctica between 130 and 85 million years ago ([[mya (unit)|mya]]), and from Australia 85–60 mya. (Most of the elongated triangular continental mass of Zealandia is a subsurface plateau. New Zealand is a mountainous above-water promontory in its center, and New Caledonia is a promontory ridge on the continent's northern edge.) New Caledonia itself drifted away from Australia 66 mya, and subsequently drifted in a north-easterly direction, reaching its present position about 50 mya.<ref>Boyer & Giribet 2007: 355</ref> Given its long stability and isolation, New Caledonia serves as a unique island [[Refugium (population biology)|refugium]]—a sort of biological 'ark'—hosting a unique ecosystem and preserving [[Gondwanan]] plant and animal lineages no longer found elsewhere.<ref>"New Caledonia has long been considered a Gondwanan refuge where archaic groups have survived for 80Ma." "[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2607381/ New Caledonia: a very old Darwinian island?]" Philippe Grandcolas,1* Jérôme Murienne, ''et al.'', ''Philos Trans R Soc'' Lond B Biol Sci. 2008 October 27; 363(1508): 3309–3317.</ref><ref>a window into the unique evolutionary history of this part of the world. Initially this biota lived along the New Zealand-New Caledonia coast of Gondwana, but following Cretaceous breakup of this southern supercontinent the fossils record terrestrial and marine evolution on and around the New Zealand "ark" set adrift in the Southwest Pacific." See HAYWARD B.W. (2009).- [http://paleopolis.rediris.es/cg/CG2009_BOOK_03/CG2009_BOOK_03_Chapter05.html Protecting fossil sites in New Zealand] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928122346/http://paleopolis.rediris.es/cg/CG2009_BOOK_03/CG2009_BOOK_03_Chapter05.html |date=2011-09-28 }}.- In: LIPPS J.H. & GRANIER B.R.C. (eds.), PaleoParks – The Protection and conservation of fossil sites worldwide.- Carnets de Géologie / Notebooks on Geology, Brest, 2009</ref><ref>for scholarly usage of the exact term "biological ark" in context of the Gondwanan breakup: "This globally significant ‘biological ark’, is attributed to Australia's long geographic isolation from other parts of the world." "[http://www.sese.uwa.edu.au/__data/page/96394/PRINCE_2002.pdf Potential of ecotourism to protect natural remnant areas within the urban environment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110410164948/http://www.sese.uwa.edu.au/__data/page/96394/PRINCE_2002.pdf |date=2011-04-10 }}" Fiona Prince The University of Western Australia, Department of Environmental Engineering, 2002</ref><ref>At the end of Jurassic (135 My), Gondwana started to break apart. The oldest grounds of current New Caledonia were then located on the eastern margin of this continent as part of the Australian block. Towards the end of Cretaceous, about 85 million years ago, this old New Caledonia broke away and so did New Zealand. New-Caledonia was then isolated... As a result, New Caledonia is now a kind of "Jurassic Park" particularly with regards to its vegetation which is highly endemic and which has kept archaic characteristics." [http://www.croixdusud.info/geo_eng/anx_geo_eng/gondwana_eng.php Gondwana super-continent.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928174633/http://www.croixdusud.info/geo_eng/anx_geo_eng/gondwana_eng.php |date=2011-09-28 }}</ref><ref>Jean-Jacques Espirat, author of ''Étude géologique de régions de la Nouvelle Calédonie'' and member of the Bureau de Recherches Geologiques et Minieres compares it to Noah's Ark: "La Grande Terre de la Nouvelle-Calédonie s'est séparée il y a 70 millions d'années (au Crétacé terminal) du continent de Gondwana (groupant à l'origine les terres qui se sont séparées pour former l'Australie, l'Antarctique, l'Amérique du Sud, l'Inde, Madagascar et l'Afrique). Telle l'Arche de Noé cette Nouvelle Calédonie de la fin du Crétacé embarquait la flore de cette époque." [http://www.futura-sciences.com/fr/doc/t/zoologie-1/r/nouvelle-caledonie/d/la-faune-et-la-flore-de-nouvelle-caledonie_468/c3/221/p2/ La faune et la flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie.] (French)</ref>

==Composition== [[File:New Caledonia and Vanuatu bathymetric and topographic map-fr.jpg|thumb|left|400px|An expandable bathymetric and topographic map of New Caledonia and [[Vanuatu]], formerly the [[New Hebrides]]. Click to enlarge.]]

New Caledonia is made up of a main island, the [[Grande Terre (New Caledonia)|Grande Terre]], and several smaller islands, the [[Belep]] archipelago to the north of the Grande Terre, the [[Loyalty Islands]] to the east of the Grande Terre, the [[Isle of Pines (New Caledonia)|Isle of Pines]] to the south of the Grande Terre, the [[Chesterfield Islands]] and Bellona Reefs further to the west. Each of these four island groups has a different geological origin:

* The New Caledonia archipelago, which includes Grande Terre, [[Belep]], and the [[Île des Pins]] was born as a series of [[fold (geology)|folds]] of the [[Earth's mantle]] between the [[Permian period]] (251–299 [[mya (unit)|mya]]) and the [[Paleogene]] and [[Neogene]] periods (1.5–66 mya). This [[mantle (geology)|mantle]] [[obduction]] created large areas of [[peridotite]] and a bedrock rich in [[nickel]]. * The [[Loyalty Islands]], a hundred kilometers to the east, are [[coral]] and [[limestone]] islands built on top of ancient collapsed volcanoes originating due to subduction at the [[Vanuatu]] trench. * The [[Chesterfield Islands]], {{convert|550|km|mi|abbr=off}} to the northwest, are reef outcroppings of the oceanic plateau. * The [[Matthew and Hunter Islands]], at {{convert|450|and|520|km|mi|abbr=off}} east, respectively, are volcanic islands that form the southern end of the arc of the [[New Hebrides]].

The Grande Terre is by far the largest of the islands and the only mountainous island. It has an area of {{convert|16,372|km2|mi2|abbr=off}}, and is elongated northwest–southeast, {{convert|350|km|mi|abbr=off}} in length and {{convert|50|to|70|km|mi|abbr=off}} wide. A [[Central Range (New Caledonia)|mountain range]] runs the length of the island, with five peaks over {{convert|1,500|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}}. The highest point is [[Mont Panié]] at {{convert|1,628|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} elevation. The total area of New Caledonia is {{convert|19,060|km2|abbr=on}}, {{convert|18575|km2|abbr=on}} of those being land.

A territorial dispute exists with regard to the uninhabited Matthew and Hunter Islands, which are claimed by both France (as part of New Caledonia) and [[Vanuatu]].

==Zealandian origin== [[File:Zealandia topography.jpg|thumb|left|Topography of Zealandia. New Caledonia is the slender island in the top left quadrant of the image at 11 o'clock from New Zealand. The ridges running north-northeast and southwest from New Zealand are not part of the [[continent]].<ref name="map">{{cite web|url=http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/ser/ser1997/html/figures/figure8.1.html|title=Figure 8.1: New Zealand in relation to the Indo-Australian and Pacific Plates|work=The State of New Zealand's Environment 1997|year=1997|access-date=2007-04-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070415203842/http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/ser/ser1997/html/figures/figure8.1.html|archive-date=2007-04-15|url-status=dead}}</ref>]]

The New Caledonian archipelago is a [[Continental island|microcontinental island chain]] which originated as a fragment of [[Zealandia (continent)|Zealandia]], a nearly submerged [[continent]] or [[microcontinent]] which was part of the southern [[supercontinent]] of [[Gondwana]] during the [[Mesozoic|time of the dinosaurs]]. The Grande Terre group of New Caledonia, with [[Mont Panié]] at {{convert|1,628|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} as its highest point, is the most elevated part of the [[Norfolk Ridge]], a long and mostly underwater arm of the continent.<ref name="teara.govt.nz">{{Cite web|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/sea-floor-geology/1/2|title = Continental shelves}}</ref> While they were still one landmass, Zealandia and Australia combined broke away from [[Antarctica]] between 85 and 130 [[million years ago]]. Australia and Zealandia split apart 60–85 million years ago.<ref name="Te Ara">{{cite encyclopedia|author=Keith Lewis|author2=Scott D. Nodder|author3=Lionel Carter|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/EarthSeaAndSky/OceanStudyAndConservation/SeaFloorGeology/1/en|title=Zealandia: the New Zealand continent|encyclopedia=Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand|date=2007-01-11|access-date=2007-02-22|archive-date=2013-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130725204749/http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/sea-floor-geology/page-1|url-status=dead}}</ref> Although biologists consider it contrary to the evidence of surviving Gondwanan lineages, geologists consider the logical possibility that Zealandia may have been completely submerged about 23 million years ago.<ref>{{cite news|title=Searching for the lost continent of Zealandia|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/4219871a11.html?source=RSSnationalnews_20070929|work=The [[The Dominion Post (Wellington)|Dominion Post]]|date=29 September 2007|access-date=2007-10-09|quote=We cannot categorically say that there has always been land here. The geological evidence at present is too weak, so we are logically forced to consider the possibility that the whole of Zealandia may have sunk.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=In Search of Ancient New Zealand|last=Campbell|first=Hamish|author2=Gerard Hutching|year=2007|publisher=Penguin Books|location=North Shore, New Zealand|isbn=978-0-14-302088-2|pages=166–167}}</ref> While a continent like Australia consists of a large body of land surrounded by a fringe of continental shelf, Zealandia consists almost entirely of continental shelf, with the vast majority, some 93%, submerged beneath the [[Pacific Ocean]].<ref name="teara.govt.nz"/> This viewpoint is not universal. Bernard Pelletier argues that Grande Terre was completely submerged for millions of years, and hence the origin of the flora may not be local in nature, but due to long distance-dispersal.<ref>Pelletier B., 2007. "Geology of the New Caledonia region and its implications for the study of the New Caledonian biodiversity", in: Payri C. E., Richer de Forges B. (eds.) ''Compendium of marine species of New Caledonia'', Doc. Sci. Tech. II7, second edition, IRD Nouméa, pp 19–32.</ref>

Zealandia is {{convert|3,500,000|km2|0|abbr=on}} in area, larger than [[Greenland]] or [[India]], and almost half the size of Australia. It is unusually slender, stretching from New Caledonia in the north to beyond [[New Zealand Subantarctic Islands|New Zealand's subantarctic islands]] in the south (from latitude [[19th parallel south|19° south]] to [[56th parallel south|56° south]],<ref name="Te Ara"/> analogous to ranging from [[Haiti]] to [[Hudson Bay]] or from [[Sudan]] to [[Sweden]] in the Northern Hemisphere). [[New Zealand]] is the greatest part of Zealandia above [[sea level]], followed by New Caledonia.<ref name="Te Ara"/>

Given its continental origin as a fragment of Zealandia, unlike many of the [[Oceania|islands of the Pacific]] such as the [[Hawaiian chain]], New Caledonia is not of geographically recent [[volcanic]] provenance. Its separation from Australia at the end of the [[Cretaceous]] (65 [[mya (unit)|mya]]) and from New Zealand in the mid-[[Miocene]] has led to a long period of [[evolution]] in near complete isolation. New Caledonia's natural heritage significantly comprises species whose ancestors were ancient and primitive flora and fauna present on New Caledonia when it broke away from Gondwana millions of years ago, not only species but entire [[genus|genera]] and even [[Family (taxonomy)|families]] are unique to the island, and survive nowhere else.

Since the age of the dinosaurs, as the island moved north due to the effects of [[continental drift]], some [[geologist]]s assert that it may have been fully submerged at various intervals. [[Botanist]]s, however, argue that there must have been some areas that remained [[above sea level]], serving as [[refugium (population biology)|refugia]] for the descendants of the original flora that inhabited the island when it broke away from Gondwana. The isolation of New Caledonia was not absolute, however. New species came to New Caledonia while species of Gondwanan origin were able to penetrate further eastward into the Pacific Island region.{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}}

==Climate== [[File:Nouméa Ile des Pins Upi.JPG|thumb|right|300px|Upi Bay on the southern [[Isle of Pines, New Caledonia|Isle of Pines]]]] The [[climate]] of New Caledonia is [[tropical]], modified by southeasterly [[trade winds]]. It is hot and humid. Natural hazards are posed in New Caledonia by [[cyclone]]s, which occur most frequently between November and March. While rainfall in the neighboring Vanuatu islands averages two meters annually, from the north of New Caledonia to the south the rain decreases to a little over {{convert|1000|mm|0|abbr=on}}. The mean annual temperature drops over the same interval from {{convert|27.5|to|24.3|C|F|1}}, and seasonality becomes more pronounced. The capital, [[Nouméa]], located on a peninsula on the southwestern coast of the island normally has a dry season which increases in intensity from August until mid-December, ending suddenly with the coming of rain in January. The northeastern coast of the island receives the most rain, with {{convert|2400|mm|0|abbr=on}} having been recorded near sea level in [[Pouébo]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mueller-Dombois |first=Dieter |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7UB5d33i8WkC |title=Vegetation of the Tropical Pacific Islands |last2=Fosberg |first2=Francis Raymond |date=1998 |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |isbn=978-0-387-98313-4 |language=en}}</ref>

{{Weather box |location = [[Nouméa]] (Köppen Aw) |single line = Yes |metric first = Yes |collapsed = Yes |width = auto |Jan record high C = 36.8 |Feb record high C = 36.4 |Mar record high C = 36.4 |Apr record high C = 36.1 |May record high C = 32.7 |Jun record high C = 30.7 |Jul record high C = 34.0 |Aug record high C = 31.7 |Sep record high C = 33.0 |Oct record high C = 32.3 |Nov record high C = 34.9 |Dec record high C = 35.7 |Jan record low C = 18.6 |Feb record low C = 19.0 |Mar record low C = 18.8 |Apr record low C = 16.7 |May record low C = 15.7 |Jun record low C = 13.6 |Jul record low C = 13.5 |Aug record low C = 13.2 |Sep record low C = 13.3 |Oct record low C = 14.2 |Nov record low C = 15.2 |Dec record low C = 17.8 |Jan high C = 29.5 |Feb high C = 29.9 |Mar high C = 29.0 |Apr high C = 27.4 |May high C = 25.6 |Jun high C = 24.2 |Jul high C = 23.4 |Aug high C = 23.4 |Sep high C = 24.7 |Oct high C = 26.2 |Nov high C = 27.6 |Dec high C = 29.1 |year high C = 26.7 |Jan mean C = 26.5 |Feb mean C = 26.9 |Mar mean C = 26.2 |Apr mean C = 24.7 |May mean C = 22.9 |Jun mean C = 21.6 |Jul mean C = 20.6 |Aug mean C = 20.5 |Sep mean C = 21.5 |Oct mean C = 22.9 |Nov mean C = 24.3 |Dec mean C = 25.8 |year mean C = 23.7 |Jan low C = 23.4 |Feb low C = 24.0 |Mar low C = 23.5 |Apr low C = 22.0 |May low C = 20.2 |Jun low C = 18.9 |Jul low C = 17.7 |Aug low C = 17.5 |Sep low C = 18.3 |Oct low C = 19.6 |Nov low C = 21.0 |Dec low C = 22.5 |year low C = 20.7 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 107.2 |Feb precipitation mm = 128.3 |Mar precipitation mm = 161.9 |Apr precipitation mm = 118.3 |May precipitation mm = 89.9 |Jun precipitation mm = 77.5 |Jul precipitation mm = 69.8 |Aug precipitation mm = 67.5 |Sep precipitation mm = 39.3 |Oct precipitation mm = 36.3 |Nov precipitation mm = 44.2 |Dec precipitation mm = 64.0 |year precipitation mm = 1004.2 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 10.1 |Feb precipitation days = 10.8 |Mar precipitation days = 11.9 |Apr precipitation days = 11.7 |May precipitation days = 11.3 |Jun precipitation days = 9.3 |Jul precipitation days = 9.4 |Aug precipitation days = 8.4 |Sep precipitation days = 5.8 |Oct precipitation days = 4.8 |Nov precipitation days = 6.0 |Dec precipitation days = 6.7 |year precipitation days = 106.3 |Jan sun = 238.5 |Feb sun = 205.6 |Mar sun = 196.1 |Apr sun = 193.1 |May sun = 173.2 |Jun sun = 154.6 |Jul sun = 182.4 |Aug sun = 203.5 |Sep sun = 230.8 |Oct sun = 258.6 |Nov sun = 250.6 |Dec sun = 261.8 |year sun = 2548.7 |source 1 = [[Météo-France]],<ref>{{cite web | url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98818001.pdf | title=Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records | language = fr | publisher = [[Météo-France]] | access-date = August 26, 2022}}</ref> Meteociel (sunshine 1981-2010)<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.meteociel.fr/obs/clim/normales_records.php?code=98818001&normes=2010&normes2=0 | title=Noumea (988) / Normales / Moyennes 1981-2010 | language = fr | publisher = [[Météo-France]] | access-date = August 26, 2022}}</ref> |source 2 = [[:fr:Service de la météorologie de la Nouvelle-Calédonie|Service de la météorologie de la Nouvelle-Calédonie]]<ref>{{cite web | url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98818001.pdf | title=climate of Noumea 1981-2010 | language = fr | publisher = [[Météo-France]] | access-date = April 7, 2022}}</ref>|date=August 2010}}

{{Weather box |width=auto |location = [[Lifou]] (Köppen Af/Am) |single line = Yes |metric first = Yes |collapsed = Yes |Jan record high C = 33.3 |Feb record high C = 34.6 |Mar record high C = 32.1 |Apr record high C = 31.9 |May record high C = 30.3 |Jun record high C = 29.5 |Jul record high C = 30.0 |Aug record high C = 28.9 |Sep record high C = 30.6 |Oct record high C = 30.3 |Nov record high C = 32.2 |Dec record high C = 32.8 |Jan record low C = 11.0 |Feb record low C = 14.1 |Mar record low C = 13.6 |Apr record low C = 10.9 |May record low C = 7.4 |Jun record low C = 5.5 |Jul record low C = 4.4 |Aug record low C = 4.5 |Sep record low C = 5.5 |Oct record low C = 7.0 |Nov record low C = 8.5 |Dec record low C = 10.0 |Jan high C = 29.6 |Feb high C = 30.0 |Mar high C = 29.3 |Apr high C = 28.1 |May high C = 26.3 |Jun high C = 25.0 |Jul high C = 24.3 |Aug high C = 24.4 |Sep high C = 25.4 |Oct high C = 26.6 |Nov high C = 27.7 |Dec high C = 28.9 |year high C = 27.1 |Jan mean C = 26.2 |Feb mean C = 26.6 |Mar mean C = 26.2 |Apr mean C = 24.9 |May mean C = 22.7 |Jun mean C = 21.4 |Jul mean C = 20.1 |Aug mean C = 20.0 |Sep mean C = 21.0 |Oct mean C = 22.5 |Nov mean C = 23.9 |Dec mean C = 25.3 |year mean C = 23.4 |Jan low C = 22.8 |Feb low C = 23.3 |Mar low C = 23.1 |Apr low C = 21.7 |May low C = 19.1 |Jun low C = 17.7 |Jul low C = 15.9 |Aug low C = 15.7 |Sep low C = 16.6 |Oct low C = 18.5 |Nov low C = 20.0 |Dec low C = 21.6 |year low C = 19.7 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 174.2 |Feb precipitation mm = 194.9 |Mar precipitation mm = 242.4 |Apr precipitation mm = 185.2 |May precipitation mm = 144.8 |Jun precipitation mm = 127.8 |Jul precipitation mm = 88.2 |Aug precipitation mm = 70.8 |Sep precipitation mm = 70.4 |Oct precipitation mm = 66.6 |Nov precipitation mm = 75.9 |Dec precipitation mm = 137.8 |year precipitation mm = 1579.0 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 12.1 |Feb precipitation days = 13.0 |Mar precipitation days = 15.4 |Apr precipitation days = 11.9 |May precipitation days = 11.7 |Jun precipitation days = 9.5 |Jul precipitation days = 8.0 |Aug precipitation days = 6.5 |Sep precipitation days = 6.2 |Oct precipitation days = 7.0 |Nov precipitation days = 7.4 |Dec precipitation days = 10.1 |year precipitation days = 118.8 |Jan sun = 223.4 |Feb sun = 186.8 |Mar sun = 194.0 |Apr sun = 194.6 |May sun = 178.3 |Jun sun = 151.4 |Jul sun = 180.0 |Aug sun = 194.5 |Sep sun = 208.7 |Oct sun = 236.1 |Nov sun = 230.1 |Dec sun = 233.8 |year sun = 2411.5 |source 1 = [[Météo-France]]<ref>{{cite web | url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98814001.pdf | title=Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records | language = fr | publisher = [[Météo-France]] | access-date = August 26, 2022}}</ref> |source 2 = [[:fr:Service de la météorologie de la Nouvelle-Calédonie|Service de la météorologie de la Nouvelle-Calédonie]]<ref>{{cite web | url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98814001.pdf | title=Climate of Poindimié 1981-2010 | language = fr | publisher = [[Météo-France]] | access-date = April 8, 2022}}</ref> }}

{{Weather box |width=auto |location = [[Poindimié]] (Köppen Af) |single line = Yes |metric first = Yes |collapsed = Yes |Jan record high C = 33.8 |Feb record high C = 34.2 |Mar record high C = 34.4 |Apr record high C = 32.8 |May record high C = 31.2 |Jun record high C = 30.2 |Jul record high C = 29.0 |Aug record high C = 30.3 |Sep record high C = 32.1 |Oct record high C = 31.0 |Nov record high C = 33.0 |Dec record high C = 33.3 |Jan record low C = 17.6 |Feb record low C = 17.9 |Mar record low C = 16.2 |Apr record low C = 15.8 |May record low C = 13.5 |Jun record low C = 12.5 |Jul record low C = 11.2 |Aug record low C = 11.0 |Sep record low C = 12.5 |Oct record low C = 12.5 |Nov record low C = 13.1 |Dec record low C = 14.8 |Jan high C = 29.5 |Feb high C = 29.9 |Mar high C = 29.5 |Apr high C = 28.4 |May high C = 26.9 |Jun high C = 25.5 |Jul high C = 24.8 |Aug high C = 24.7 |Sep high C = 25.6 |Oct high C = 26.5 |Nov high C = 27.5 |Dec high C = 28.6 |year high C = 27.3 |Jan mean C = 26.4 |Feb mean C = 26.8 |Mar mean C = 26.5 |Apr mean C = 25.3 |May mean C = 23.6 |Jun mean C = 22.2 |Jul mean C = 21.2 |Aug mean C = 21.1 |Sep mean C = 22.0 |Oct mean C = 23.1 |Nov mean C = 24.2 |Dec mean C = 25.5 |year mean C = 24.0 |Jan low C = 23.3 |Feb low C = 23.7 |Mar low C = 23.4 |Apr low C = 22.1 |May low C = 20.3 |Jun low C = 18.9 |Jul low C = 17.6 |Aug low C = 17.5 |Sep low C = 18.4 |Oct low C = 19.7 |Nov low C = 21.0 |Dec low C = 22.4 |year low C = 20.7 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 313.2 |Feb precipitation mm = 326.2 |Mar precipitation mm = 395.8 |Apr precipitation mm = 258.5 |May precipitation mm = 194.6 |Jun precipitation mm = 155.6 |Jul precipitation mm = 116.0 |Aug precipitation mm = 101.4 |Sep precipitation mm = 102.7 |Oct precipitation mm = 96.8 |Nov precipitation mm = 144.7 |Dec precipitation mm = 221.1 |year precipitation mm = 2426.6 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 17.9 |Feb precipitation days = 18.6 |Mar precipitation days = 19.9 |Apr precipitation days = 16.6 |May precipitation days = 13.9 |Jun precipitation days = 11.0 |Jul precipitation days = 9.2 |Aug precipitation days = 8.4 |Sep precipitation days = 8.4 |Oct precipitation days = 11.0 |Nov precipitation days = 12.1 |Dec precipitation days = 16.3 |year precipitation days = 163.4 |Jan sun = 186.9 |Feb sun = 158.8 |Mar sun = 163.5 |Apr sun = 165.3 |May sun = 153.1 |Jun sun = 148.2 |Jul sun = 174.3 |Aug sun = 186.6 |Sep sun = 195.5 |Oct sun = 207.9 |Nov sun = 186.3 |Dec sun = 192.0 |year sun = 2118.2 |source 1 = [[Météo-France]]<ref>{{cite web | url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98822001.pdf | title=Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records | language = fr | publisher = [[Météo-France]] | access-date = August 27, 2022}}</ref> |source 2 = [[:fr:Service de la météorologie de la Nouvelle-Calédonie|Service de la météorologie de la Nouvelle-Calédonie]]<ref>{{cite web | url = https://donneespubliques.meteofrance.fr/FichesClim/FICHECLIM_98822001.pdf | title=Climate of Poindimié 1981-2010 | language = fr | publisher = [[Météo-France]] | access-date = April 7, 2022}}</ref> }}

==Terrain== The terrain of Grande Terre consists of coastal [[plain]]s, with [[mountain]]s in the interior. The lowest point is the Pacific Ocean, with an elevation of 0 m, and the highest is [[Mont Panie]], with an elevation of {{convert|1,628|m|ft|abbr=on}}.

The [[Diahot River]] is the longest river of New Caledonia, flowing for some {{convert|60|mi|km|abbr=off}}.<ref name="EB">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/161133/Diahot-River|title=Diahot River|encyclopedia=[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]|access-date=9 June 2011}}</ref> It has a catchment area of 620 square kilometres and opens north-westward into the [[Baie d'Harcourt]], flowing towards the northern point of the island along the western escarpment of the [[Mount Panie]].<ref name="EB"/><ref name="UNU">{{cite web |url=http://www.greenstone.org/greenstone3/nzdl;jsessionid=9C07FFA7400A6C3C823F1ACAF98A3D9D?a=d&d=HASH01e0de34b153f45530bc1736.5.pp&c=ccgi&sib=1&dt=&ec=&et=&p.a=b&p.s=ClassifierBrowse&p.sa= |title=The impacts of opencast mining in New Caledonia |publisher=The United Nations University |access-date=9 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727215730/http://www.greenstone.org/greenstone3/nzdl%3Bjsessionid%3D9C07FFA7400A6C3C823F1ACAF98A3D9D?a=d&d=HASH01e0de34b153f45530bc1736.5.pp&c=ccgi&sib=1&dt=&ec=&et=&p.a=b&p.s=ClassifierBrowse&p.sa= |archive-date=27 July 2011 }}</ref>

In 1993, 12% of New Caledonian land was used for permanent [[pasture]], with 39% occupied by [[forest]]s and woodland. In 1991, {{convert|160|km2|abbr=on}} of the land was [[irrigation|irrigated]]. A current environmental issue is [[erosion]] caused by mining exploitation and forest fires.

==Biological isolation== [[File:Rhynochetos jubatus qtl1.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The enigmatic [[kagu]], an endemic New Caledonian bird with no close relatives. See pictures of the erected crest and of wing patterns exposed during defensive posturing at the San Diego Zoo [http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-kagu.html website].]] [[File:Amborella trichopoda (3065968016).jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Amborella trichopoda]]'', the world's most primitive flowering plant]] [[File:Gekkoninae Rhacodactylus ciliatus tete.png|thumb|right|200px|''[[Correlophus ciliatus]]'', the not-yet-extinct crested gecko of southern Grande Terre isle]] [[File:Meiolania platyceps.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''[[Meiolania platyceps]]'' fossil]] {{See also|Biodiversity of New Caledonia|Endemic Birds of New Caledonia}} Given its geographical isolation since the end of the [[Cretaceous]], New Caledonia is a [[Refugium (population biology)|refugium]], in effect a biological "Noah's Ark", an island home to both unique living plants and animals and also to its own special fossil endowment. Birds such as the crested and almost flightless kagu (French, ''cagou'') ''[[Rhynochetos jubatus]]'', whose closest relative may be the distantly related [[sunbittern]] of [[South America]], and plants such as ''[[Amborella trichopoda]]'', the only known member of the most basal living branch of [[flowering plant]]s, make this island a treasure trove and a critical concern for biologists and conservationists. The island was home to horned fossil turtles (''[[Meiolania|Meiolania mackayi]]'') and terrestrial fossil crocodiles (''[[Mekosuchus|Mekosuchus inexpectatus]]'') which became extinct shortly after human arrival. There are no native amphibians, with geckos holding many of their niches. The crested gecko (''[[Correlophus ciliatus]]''), thought to have gone extinct, was rediscovered in 1994.<ref name="devosjoli"> {{Citation | last1 =De Vosjoli | first1 =Phillipe | last2 =Repashy | first2 =Allen | last3 =Fast | first3 =Frank | title =Rhacodactylus: The Complete Guide to their Selection and Care | publisher =Advanced Vivarium Inc | year =2003 | isbn =978-0-9742971-0-1 }} </ref> At 14 inches, Leach's giant gecko (''[[Rhacodactylus leachianus]]''), the world's largest<ref name="Ballance, Morris">Allison Ballance and Rod Morris, ''Island Magic; wildlife of the south seas'' David Bateman publishing, 2003</ref> and a predator of smaller lizards is another native. The only native mammals are four species of bat including the endemic [[New Caledonia flying fox]].<ref>''[https://books.google.com/books?id=lly95WF8n-cC&q=New+Caledonia+Flying+Fox New Caledonia]'' by Leanne Logan, Geert Cole, Lonely Planet, 2001, p 29</ref>

New Caledonia is home to 13 of the 19 extant species of evergreens in the genus ''[[Araucaria]]''. The island has been called "a kind of 'Jurassic Park'"<ref>[http://www.croixdusud.info/eng/geo_eng/anx_geo_eng/gondwana_eng.php Gondwana super-continent.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928174748/http://www.croixdusud.info/eng/geo_eng/anx_geo_eng/gondwana_eng.php |date=2011-09-28 }} ''Nouvelle-Calédonie.''</ref> because of the archaic characteristics of its highly endemic vegetation. In addition to the basal [[angiosperm]] plant genus ''[[Amborella]]'', for example, the island is home to more [[gymnosperm]] species than any other tropic landmass, with 43 of its 44 conifer species being unique to the island, which is also home to the world's only known parasitic gymnosperm, the rootless [[conifer]] ''[[Parasitaxus usta]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.futura-sciences.com/fr/doc/t/zoologie-1/r/nouvelle-caledonie/d/la-faune-et-la-flore-de-nouvelle-caledonie_468/c3/221/p2/|title = La flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie - Première partie}}</ref>

Given their prehistoric appearance, the dry forests of western New Caledonia were chosen as the location for filming the first episode of the [[BBC]] miniseries [[Walking with Dinosaurs]], which was set in the [[Arizona]] of the late [[Triassic]].

==Mineral wealth== {{Main|Nickel mining in New Caledonia|Geology of New Caledonia#earth resources}} After a formation discovered in [[Oman]] in the 1970s, New Caledonia has the planet's largest known outcrop of [[ultrabasic rock]], derived not from the crust, but from an upthrust fold of the more deeply underlying [[Mantle (geology)|mantle]] of the earth.<ref>[http://www.croixdusud.info/geo_eng/nc_ub_eng.php Geology – The massifs of ultrabasic rocks or "massifs miniers"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928174808/http://www.croixdusud.info/geo_eng/nc_ub_eng.php |date=2011-09-28 }} ''New Caledonia''</ref> These mineral-rich rocks are a source of [[nickel]], [[chromium]], [[Iron ore|iron]], [[cobalt]], [[manganese]], [[silver]], [[gold]], [[lead]] and [[copper]]. The toxicity of the mineral-rich soil has helped preserve the endemic vegetation, which has long been adapted to it, from competition from would-be colonizers which find it unsuitable.<ref>[http://www.futura-sciences.com/fr/doc/t/zoologie-1/r/nouvelle-caledonie/d/la-faune-et-la-flore-de-nouvelle-caledonie_468/c3/221/p2/ La faune et la flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie.] (French)</ref>

===Before Western contact=== Anthropologically, New Caledonia is considered the southernmost archipelago of [[Melanesia]], grouping it with the more close by islands to its north, rather than its geologically associated neighbour, New Zealand, to the south. The New Caledonian languages, whose speakers are called [[Kanak people|Kanaks]], and the dialects of the [[Loyalty Islands]] find their closest relatives in the languages of [[Vanuatu]] to the east. Together, these comprise the [[Southern Oceanic languages|Southern Oceanic language family]], a member of the [[Oceanic language]] branch of the [[Austronesian languages|Austronesian language family]]. The [[Fijian languages]], the [[Māori language]] of New Zealand, and other [[Polynesian language]]s such as [[Tahitian language|Tahitian]], [[Samoan language|Samoan]] and [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]] are cousins of the New Caledonian languages within the [[Oceanic languages|Oceanic]] language family.<ref name="language.psy.auckland.ac.nz">{{Cite web |url=http://language.psy.auckland.ac.nz/austronesian/research.php |title=''Austronesian Basic Vocabulary Database'' |access-date=2010-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928153321/http://language.psy.auckland.ac.nz/austronesian/research.php |archive-date=2011-09-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Linguistics|Linguistic]] analysis using the [[comparative method (linguistics)|comparative method]] provides a detailed family tree of the Austronesian languages to which the native languages of New Caledonia belong.<ref name="language.psy.auckland.ac.nz"/> The [[Lapita]] culture, hypothesized to have spoken proto-Oceanic, and defined by its typical style of pottery, originated to the northwest in the [[Bismarck Archipelago]] around 1500 BC.<ref>"The Austronesian Dispersal" Pawley, Andrew, ''Examining the framing/language dispersal hypothesis'', Peter Bellwood and Colin Renfrew, eds., McDonald Institute Monographs, 2002, p 254</ref> The earliest known human settlement of New Caledonia, dated to 1240 ±220 BC at the Tiwi rockshelter,<ref>"Lapita and non-Lapita ware during New Caledonia's first millennium of Austronesian settlement" Christophe Sand, p 3, in ''Le Pacifique de 5000 h 2000 avant le present / The Pacific from 5000 to 2000 BP'', Archaeologue, http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_7/divers2/010020743.pdf</ref> is attributed to the Lapitans, who then moved on to [[Fiji]] by approximately 900 BC, whence the [[Polynesia#History of the Polynesian people|Polynesian expansion]] would begin.<ref>Pawley, ''ibid''.</ref>

===Since Western contact=== Western colonization of the area began in the 18th century. The British explorer [[James Cook]] sighted Grande Terre in 1774 and named it New Caledonia, Caledonia being [[Latin]] for [[Scotland]].<ref>Kowasch M. and Batterbury, S.P.J. (eds.). 2024. Geographies of New Caledonia-Kanaky: environments, politics and cultures. Springer Open Access. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49140-5</ref> In 1853, under [[Napoleon III]], the area was made a French colony. The French brought colonial subjects such as [[Arabs]] from the [[Maghreb]] to settle in the territory. Given its strategic location and that it was unoccupied by Japanese troops it played a vital role under the Free French Forces<ref>"The establishment of Free French rule in New Caledonia and the deportation of the Vichy leaders, meant that the colony was for all practical purposes allied with Australia in the war against Germany" Hasluck: [http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/30/chapters/06.pdf "Clearing a Way to Total War"] p 47.</ref> as an [[Allied forces (World War II)|Allied Forces]] naval base during the [[Second World War]].

Today, while French is the official language, 28 indigenous tongues are still spoken. At the 2004 census, 97.0% reported they could speak French, whereas only 0.97% reported that they had no knowledge of French.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.insee.fr/fr/ppp/ir/rpnc04/dd/excel/rpnc04_P9-1.xls| title=P9-1 – Population de 14 ans et plus selon la connaissance du français, le sexe, par commune, "zone" et par province de résidence| publisher=[[Cabinet of France|Government of France]]| website=[[INSEE]]|format=XLS| access-date=2007-06-24|language=fr}}</ref> In the same census, 37.1% reported that they could speak (but not necessarily read or write) one of the 28 indigenous [[Austronesian languages]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.insee.fr/fr/ppp/ir/rpnc04/dd/excel/rpnc04_P10-1.xls| title=P10-1 – Population de 14 ans et plus selon la connaissance d'une langue mélanésienne et le sexe, par commune, "zone" et par province de résidence| publisher=[[Cabinet of France|Government of France]]| website=[[INSEE]]|format=XLS| access-date=2007-06-24|language=fr}}</ref>

At the 1996 census, the indigenous [[Melanesia]]n [[Kanak people|Kanak]] community represented around 44.6% of the whole population.<ref name=ethnicity>{{cite web|url=http://www.isee.nc/recenspop/telechargement/ind04.xls |title=Population totale, selon la communauté par commune et Province de résidence |author=Institut de la statistique et des études économiques de Nouvelle-Calédonie (ISEE) |format=XLS |access-date=2007-06-24 |language=fr |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928030351/http://www.isee.nc/recenspop/telechargement/ind04.xls |archive-date=2007-09-28 }}</ref> and estimated at over 41% in 2023.<ref>Kowasch M. and Batterbury, S.P.J. (eds.). 2024. Geographies of New Caledonia-Kanaky: environments, politics and cultures. Springer Open Access. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-49140-5</ref> They are no longer a majority, their proportion of the population having declined due to immigration and other factors. The rest of the population is made up of ethnic groups that arrived in New Caledonia in the last 150 years: [[European ethnic groups|Europeans]] (34.5%) (predominantly [[French people|French]], with [[Germans|German]], [[British people|British]] and [[Italian people|Italian]] minorities), [[Polynesia#Cultures of Polynesia|Polynesian]]s ([[Wallis and Futuna|Wallisians]], [[Tahitians]]) (11.8%), [[Indonesia]]ns (2.6%), [[Vietnamese people|Vietnamese]] (1.4%), [[Ni-Vanuatu]] (1.2%), and various other groups (3.9%), [[Tamil people|Tamils]], other [[South Asia]]ns, [[Kabyles du Pacifique|Berbers]], [[Japanese people|Japanese]], [[Overseas Chinese|Chinese]], [[Fijians]], [[Arab people|Arabs]], [[West Indian]] (mostly from other French territories) and a small number of ethnic Africans.<ref name=ethnicity />

==See also== {{Portal|Geography}} * [[d'Entrecasteaux Ridge]] * [[List of islands of New Caledonia]]

''Other [[Continental fragment|microcontinental islands]]:'' * [[Madagascar]] * [[Seychelles]] * [[Socotra]]

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{CIA World Factbook}} {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.croixdusud.info/acc_eng/nc_acc_eng.php Croixdusud.info] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928174653/http://www.croixdusud.info/acc_eng/nc_acc_eng.php |date=2011-09-28 }} a site in both English and French including information on the geography, geology, and biodiversity of the area

[[Category:Geography of New Caledonia| ]]