Geography of New Caledonia
Location: | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia |
Geographic coordinates: | 21 30 S, 165 30 E |
Map references: | Oceania |
Area: | total: 19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km |
Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than New Jersey |
Land boundaries: | 0 km |
Coastline: | 2,254 km |
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 highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m |
Natural resources: | nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper |
Land use: | arable land: 0.32% permanent crops: 0.22% other: 99.46% (2005) |
Irrigated land: | 100 sq km (2003) |
Natural hazards: | cyclones, most frequent from November to March |
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 |