New Caledonia

American  

[kal-i-doh-nee-uh, -dohn-yuh] / ˌkæl ɪˈdoʊ ni ə, -ˈdoʊn jə /

noun

1. an island in the S Pacific, about 800 miles (1,290 km) E of Australia. 6,224 sq. mi. (16,120 sq. km).

2. an overseas territory of France comprising this island and other smaller islands: formerly a penal colony. 131,665; 7,200 sq. mi. (18,650 sq. km). Nouméa.

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New Caledonia British  

noun

1. French name: Nouvelle-Calédonie.  an island in the SW Pacific, east of Australia: forms, with its dependencies, a French Overseas Country; discovered by Captain Cook in 1774; rich mineral resources. Capital: Nouméa. Pop: 264 022 (2013 est). Area: 19 103 sq km (7374 miles)

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

New Caledonia

Researchers analyzed nearly 20 years of data from humpback whales that breed in the waters around New Caledonia in the South Pacific.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 5, 2026

Police allege that he could have carried out assaults not only in France, but also Germany, Switzerland, Morocco, Niger, Algeria, the Philippines, India, Colombia, and the French overseas territory of New Caledonia.

From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026

DR Congo were, therefore, forced to settle for second place but can still make the World Cup if they win a one-off play-off against New Caledonia or Jamaica in Mexico in March.

From Barron's ● Dec. 27, 2025

Also taking part in the inter-confederations play-off are New Caledonia.

From BBC ● Dec. 5, 2025

In the Pacific Ocean, the main wave of extinction began in about 1500 BC, when Polynesian farmers settled the Solomon Islands, Fiji and New Caledonia.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari