New Caledonia (France)     [12]
(Overseas Territory of France)
ISO COUNTRY CODE: NC
LAND AREA: 19103 sq. km     SEA AREA: 1740000 sq. km
NUMBER OF ISLANDS BY SIZE (sq. km):

>17,000	>10,000	>1,000	>100	>10	>1	<1	Unknown	TOTAL
0	1	1	3	5	1	6	19	36

DEMOGRAPHY
  POPULATION: 189000 (1996)
  DENSITY: 10 persons/sq. km    GROWTH RATE: 1%/year

ECONOMY
  Income/Capita: $0

ENVIRONMENT (see also individual islands)
  TOTAL FOREST AREA: 698,000 ha, 38.2% of land area, 3.9 ha/capita
  NATURAL FOREST AREA: 689,000 ha
NATURE CONSERVATION INTEREST:

Plants:                                                                 
  3250 vascular plant species, including 300 ferns, 2474 endemic species
  44 species of conifers, all endemic                                   
  70-80 species of Cunoniaceae, all endemic                             
  43 species of Proteaceae, all endemic                                 
  31 species of palms, all endemic                                      
  5 endemic families: Amborellaceae (1 sp.), Oncothecaceae (2 sp.),     
  Paracryphiaceae (1-2 sp.), Phellineaceae (10 sp.), Strasburgeriaceae  
(1 sp.)                                                                 
  a large number of primitive relict species                            
Insects:                                                                
  little studied but high endemism can be expected                      
Other invertebrates:                                                    
  estimated 200-400 land snails of which 153 described, entirely        
endemic,                                                                
  often with localized distributions, including:                        
  11 fresh-water species                                                
  23 land prosobranchs                                                  
  20 bulimulids                                                         
  49 endodontids                                                        
  24 paryphantids                                                       
  19 miscellaneous endemic pulmonates                                   
  there are 18 introduced land snails, including Achatina fulica and    
    Euglandina rosa                                                     
Reptiles-amphibians:                                                    
  13 species of geckos including:                                       
  Bavayia cyclura (Gekkonidae) group endemic genus                      
  Bavayia sauvagii (Gekkonidae) group endemic genus                     
  Eurydactylodes symmetricus (Gekkonidae) endemic genus                 
  Eurydactylodes vieillardi (Gekkonidae) endemic genus                  
 7 species of skinks including:                                         
  Anotis gracilis (Scincidae) group endemic genus                       
  Anotis mariae (Scincidae) group endemic genus                         
  Anotis slevini (Scincidae) group endemic genus                        
  Eugongylus garnieri (Scincidae) group endemic, known by 3 specimens   
Birds:                                                                  
  1 endemic family, 4 endemic genera                                    
  Drepanoptila holosericea (Cloven-feathered Dove, Pigeon Vert)         
monospecific                                                            
    genus, group endemic, New Caledonia and Isle of  Pines, Vulnerable  
(RDB)                                                                   
  Eunymphicus cornutus (Horned Parakeet) group endemic monospecific     
genus,                                                                  
    subspecies on New Caledonia and Ouvea.                              
  Eopsaltria flaviventris (Yellow-bellied Robin) group endemic, New     
Caledonia                                                               
    and Isle of Pines                                                   
  Pachcephala caledonica (New Caledonian Whistler) group endemic, New   
    Caledonia and Isle of Pines                                         
  Erythrura psittacea (Red-throated Parrot-Finch) group endemic, New    
Caledonia                                                               
    and Isle of Pines                                                   
  Zosterops xanthocroa (New Caledonia White-eye) group endemic, New     
Caledonia,                                                              
    Mare? and Isle of Pines                                             
Mammals:                                                                
  Dugong dugon (Dugong) Vulnerable (RDB)                                
Marine life:                                                            
 252 species of marine algae, including at least 8 endemics             
                                                                        

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

INSTITUTIONS
GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENT/SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY:

Mining and forestry pollution prevention committee                      

Arrete No. 85-174/CM of 17/4/85  Comite de prevention des pollutions en 
  matieres miniere et forestiere;                                       
Deliberation No. 14 of 21/6/85 relative aux installations classees pour 
la                                                                      
  protection de l'environnement;                                        
Deliberation No. 110 of 24/7/85 demandes d'autorisation d'usines        
hydrauliques                                                            

Association pour la sauvegarde de la nature neo-caledonienne