Page last updated on January 28, 2014

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 18,575 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 156
land: 18,275 sq km
water: 300 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
0 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]

Coastline:
2,254 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:
coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
[see also: Elevation extremes - lowest point country ranks ]
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources:
nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use:
arable land: 0.38%
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.27%
other: 99.34% (2011)

Irrigated land:
100 sq km (2003)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Natural hazards:
cyclones, most frequent from November to March
volcanism: Matthew and Hunter Islands are historically active

Environment - current issues:
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:
consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls