New Caldonia

 NEW CALEDONIA

A. THE TERRITORY

Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies in the South Pacific Ocean
is one large island, the Loyalty Islands, and other small coral islands.
After French colonialism, the 1998 agreement for the next 20 years
resulted in local autonomy and attempts to bring New Caledonia into full
equality in economy, legal and political life.  The economy is dominated
by rich mineral deposits, especially nickel.  There is some service
industry and also reliance on subsidies from France.

B. THE PEOPLE

The population is ~254,000 and official language French.  ~45.9% are
Melanesian, ~16.2% Polynesian, ~31.5% Caucasian, ~6.4% Asian.

C. RELIGIONS AND CHRISTIANITY/PENTECOSTALISM

New Caledonia is an increasingly secular society.  Animist practices
usually underlie a Christian veneer.
~80.65% claim to be Christian, ~15.05% Non-religious, ~3.5% Muslim,
~0.5% Buddhist, ~0.3% Baha’i.
In the Christian category:
~51.08% are Catholic, ~14.46% Protestant, ~8.9% Unaffiliated, ~2.52%
Independent, ~0.1% Anglican.
Evangelicals represent ~7% of the population.
Charismatics represent ~5.4% and of those ~1.5% are Pentecostals.
‘Marginal’ groups originating in Western society represent ~3.58% of the
population.

Donna Siemens

References:

Operation World, Jason Mandryk. Colorado Springs: Biblica Publishing, 2010.