Nouméa is the capital city of New Caledonia, a territorial collectivity of France located 750 miles east of Australia in the southwest Pacific Ocean.
Just over 7,100 square miles in size, New Caledonia has a population of approximately 256,000, a mix of Kanak people (the original inhabitants of New Caledonia), people of European descent, as well as those of Polynesian and Southeast Asian descent.
Nouméa Cathedral is a prominent landmark in the capital city of New Caledonia. Photo (above) by
The city of Nouméa is located on a protected deepwater harbor, and serves as the primary port for New Caledonia.The city was first named Port-du-France, but was then renamed Nouméa in 1866. It was first used as a penal colony for 40 years, and then later as a center for mining near by silver and gold. It has a fascinating history and is one of the most developed cities in the Pacific Islands.
Here are 6 interesting facts about Nouméa, New Caledonia
1. A British trader named James Paddon established the first European settlement near what is today the city of Nouméa in 1851. The French established a settlement nearby three years later, and the island of New Caledonia became a French possession in 1853.
2. 98% of the population speaks French.
Photo: 1st Island Command Headquarters, Noumea,New Caledonia
3. Nouméa served as a U.S. military headquarters in WWII for the South Pacific.
4.The word “Caledonian” is used by the French and others who have settled in the islands. The term “Kanak” is used to designate native residents of this South Pacific archipelago and their culture.
Flag of the city of Nouméa, New Caledonia. Photo (above) by GeorgeLouis.
5. Indonesian, Vietnamese, Tahitian, Wallisia, and Chinese are amont the twenty-eight languages spoken by Kanaks. “Kanak” means “Human being” in Hawaiian.
6. A struggle for independence from France during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in with the 1998 Noumea Accord. This accord will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia over a period of 15 to 20 years.tThe agreement also specifies that a referendum between 2014 and 2018 will occur to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.
Learn more about New Caledonia with these resources:
Noumea: Jean-Marie Tjibaou Cultural Center (English and Italian Edition)
The 2016 Economic and Product Market Databook for Noumea, New Caledonia
This post is written by Megan Bryde, a forever student of the world while also finishing up her bachelors in English at Truman State University this semester.
Involved in too many activities, she sings as loud as she can, writes, cooks, bakes, and drinks a lot of coffee. Check out her blog and linkedin page to see more about what she does.
Megan is currently completing an internship with VentureTime Travel and aspires to be teaching English someday.
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