Demographics & population — New Caledonia
Population size, age structure, migration, ethnicity, language, education, and health indicators.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Demographics & population at a glance
Population size, age structure, migration, ethnicity, language, education, and health indicators. Key figure for New Caledonia: 290,009
Immigration rules and fees change frequently — confirm current requirements on official government or embassy websites.
Population overview
- Population
290,009
- Population Growth Rate
1.45%
- Urban Population
- Population in Major Urban Areas
NOUMEA (capital) 157,000
Age & family
Migration
- Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population
4.12
Ethnicity & language
- Ethnic Groups
Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%
- Nationality Noun
New Caledonian(s)
Education
- Literacy - total population
96.2%
- Literacy - male
92%
- Literacy - female
90%
- Literacy Definition
age 15 and over can read and write
- Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)
Health & living conditions
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- Infant Mortality Rate
- Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births
- Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved
- Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved
