Demographics
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
| 1956 | 68,480 | — |
| 1963 | 86,519 | 3.34% |
| 1969 | 100,579 | 2.51% |
| 1976 | 133,233 | 4.02% |
| 1983 | 145,368 | 1.25% |
| 1989 | 164,173 | 2.03% |
| 1996 | 196,836 | 2.59% |
| 2009 | 245,580 | 1.7% |
| 2011 | 252,000 | 1.29% |
| ISEE | ||
At the last census in 2009 New Caledonia had a population of 245,580. Of these, 17,436 live in the Loyalty Islands Province, 45,137 in the North Province, and 183,007 in the South Province. Population growth has slowed down since the 1990s, but remains strong with a yearly increase of 1.7% between 1996 and 2009.
Natural growth is responsible for 85% of the population growth, while the remaining 15% is attributable to net migration. The population growth is strong in the Southern province (2.3% per year between 1996 and 2009), moderate in the Northern Province (0.7%), but negative in the Loyalty Islands, which are losing inhabitants (- 1.3%).
Over 40% of the population is under 20, although the rate of older people on the total population is increasing. Two residents of New Caledonia out of three live in Greater Nouméa. Three out of four were born in New Caledonia. The total fertility rate went from 3.2 children per woman in 1990 to 2.2 in 2007.
Read more about this topic: New Caledonia