Economy - overview:
New Caledonia has 11% of the world's nickel reserves, representing the second largest reserves on the planet. Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15% of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy.During 2009-10, France sent more development assistance to New Caledonia than to any of its other overseas territories. In October 2014, French Prime Minister Manuel VALLS confirmed financial support to New Caledonia totaling $500 million for the period 2016-20. The new government, which inherited a $112 million deficit in 2013, is expected to focus on bringing the territory’s budget back into balance.With the gradual increase in the production of two new nickel plants in 2015, average production of metallurgical goods stood at a record level of 94 thousand tons. However, the sector is exposed to the high volatility of nickel prices. In April 2016, PM VALLS committed $180 million to support New Caledonia’s main nickel company, Societe Le Nickel.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$10.77 billion (2015 est.) $10.62 billion (2014 est.) $10.33 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 dollars
country comparison to the world: 160

GDP (official exchange rate):
$15.54 billion (2014 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
1.4% (2015 est.) 1.3% (2014 est.) 2.2% (2013)
country comparison to the world: 180
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$31,100 (2015 est.) $32,100 (2014 est.) $29,800 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 65%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 24.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 38.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 18.6%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -46.5% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 1.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 26.5%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 72% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
vegetables; beef, venison, other livestock products; fish

Industries:
nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
119,500 (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2.7%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 22.4%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 74.9% (2010)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
14.7% (2014) 14% (2009)
country comparison to the world: 170
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
17% (2008)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: NA%

Budget:
revenues: $1.995 billion
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $1.993 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
12.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 203
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
0% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
6.5% of GDP (2015 est.) 6.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 201
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.9% (2017 est.) 0.6% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$9.522 billion (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$1.469 billion (2014 est.) -$1.861 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$2.207 billion (2014 est.) $1.314 billion (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 138
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners:
China 30.4%, Japan 15.7%, South Korea 14.7%, France 5%, Belgium 4.5% (2016)

Imports:
$4.4 billion (2014 est.) $2.715 billion (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
France 25.1%, Singapore 10.1%, China 9.8%, Australia 6.2%, Malaysia 5.9%, South Korea 5.8%, NZ 4.6%, US 4.3% (2016)

Debt - external:
$112 million (31 December 2013 est.) $79 million (31 December 1998 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$16.43 billion (2015 est.) $14.55 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$658.2 million (2015 est.) $593.8 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 110.2 (2017 est.) 107.84 (2016 est.) 107.84 (2015 est.) 89.85 (2013 est.) 90.56 (2012 est.)