Languages spoken in New Caledonia
Oceania · Capital: Nouméa · Population 271,400
The official language of New Caledonia is French. An estimated 97% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 263,258 people. French belongs to the Indo-European language family.
What languages are spoken in New Caledonia?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| FrenchIndo-European | 97% | Official | 263,258 |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of New Caledonia?
The official language of New Caledonia is French. French is spoken by an estimated 97% of the population, or roughly 263,258 people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak French in New Caledonia?
An estimated 97% of New Caledonia's 271,400 people speak French, which works out at roughly 263,258 speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about New Caledonia
- Capital
- Nouméa
- Population
- 271,400
- Continent
- Oceania
- Area
- 18,575 km²
- Currency
- XPF
- Languages recorded
- 1
- Land borders
- None
- ISO codes
- NC / NCL / 540
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.