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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:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 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%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 12%
forests and woodland: 39%
other: 49% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 160 sq km (1991)
Natural hazards: cyclones, most frequent from November to
March
Environment - current issues: erosion caused by mining exploitation
and forest fires
Background: Settled by both Britain and France during the
first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession
in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864.
Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems
to have dissipated.
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