If you lived in New Caledonia instead of Solomon Islands, you would:

Health

live 8.2 years longer

In Solomon Islands, the average life expectancy is 71 years (69 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2024. In New Caledonia, that number is 79 years (76 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2024.

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Economy

make 14.0 times more money

Solomon Islands has a GDP per capita of $2,086 as of 2025, while in New Caledonia, the GDP per capita is $29,213 as of 2024.

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be 7.8 times more likely to be unemployed

In Solomon Islands, 1.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In New Caledonia, that number is 11.2% as of 2025.

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Life

have 47.5% fewer children

In Solomon Islands, there are approximately 26.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In New Caledonia, there are 14.0 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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Basic Needs

be 23.0% more likely to have access to electricity

In Solomon Islands, approximately 81% of people have electricity access (81% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2023. In New Caledonia, that number is 100% of people on average (100% in urban areas, and 100% in rural areas) as of 2023.

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be 2.8 times more likely to have internet access

In Solomon Islands, approximately 29.0% of the population has internet access as of 2024. In New Caledonia, about 82.0% do as of 2021.

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be 39.0% more likely to have access to drinking water

In Solomon Islands, approximately 72% of people have access to drinking water as of 2024. In New Caledonia, 100% of people do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 57.6% less coastline

Solomon Islands has a total of 5,313 km of coastline. In New Caledonia, that number is 2,254 km.

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Safety

be 16.2% less likely to be murdered

Solomon Islands has a homicide rate of 3.7 per 100,000 people as of 2008. In New Caledonia, that number is 3.1 per 100,000 as of 2009.

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Infrastructure

find 176.1 times more home broadband

Solomon Islands has 0.1 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2022. New Caledonia has 19.4 as of 2022.

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Environment

emit 44.9 times more CO2

Solomon Islands emits 0.4 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. New Caledonia emits 17.1 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2021), United Nations SDG Indicators (2008–2009). How we calculate this

New Caledonia: At a glance

New Caledonia is a sovereign country in Australia-Oceania, with a total land area of approximately 18,275 sq km. Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island became a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998 Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct a referendum between 2014 and 2018 to decide whether New Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.
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How big is New Caledonia compared to Solomon Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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