New Caledonia lies 1500 km east of Australia. It is a fragment of the Australian continent which detached 100 mill. years ago. The mountainous main island ("Grande Terre") is 150 km long and 50 km wide. Large lagoons extend to the north and the south, dotted with coral cays and islands created when the ancient reefs of the area were uplifted .

The population of New Caledonia is mainly Melanesian ("Kanaks") and European. The country has been a French colony since 1853 and became wealthy through its extensive natural resources. Today it is the world's third largest nickel producer.