New Caledonia: cities by population
New Caledonia has a population of 297,892 (UN estimate, 2026), with Noumea as its capital. The 33 largest of its 33 recorded towns and cities, ranked.
+34%
since 2000 (223,098)
+14%
projected by 2050 (340,580)
16
people per km²
Figures are the latest available in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), which draws on national censuses of varying dates — treat them as recent, not same-year. Country totals are UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant) where the UN lists the country separately; the handful it reports under a parent state keep a GeoNames figure and are marked as such. Sources & method.
Largest cities in New Caledonia
| # | Place | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nouméa | South Province | 93,060 |
| 2 | Mont-Dore | South Province | 24,680 |
| 3 | Dumbéa | South Province | 19,346 |
| 4 | Païta | South Province | 12,617 |
| 5 | Wé | Loyalty Islands | 10,375 |
| 6 | Tadine | Loyalty Islands | 7,492 |
| 7 | Bourail | South Province | 5,531 |
| 8 | Poindimié | North Province | 5,006 |
| 9 | Koné | North Province | 4,572 |
| 10 | Houaïlou | North Province | 4,562 |
| 11 | Anse-Vata | South Province | 3,729 |
| 12 | Canala | North Province | 3,538 |
| 13 | Ouvéa | Loyalty Islands | 3,401 |
| 14 | Koumac | North Province | 3,060 |
| 15 | La Foa | South Province | 2,947 |
| 16 | Thio | South Province | 2,748 |
| 17 | Ponérihouen | North Province | 2,739 |
| 18 | Hienghène | North Province | 2,668 |
| 19 | Poya | North Province | 2,617 |
| 20 | Pouébo | North Province | 2,391 |
| 21 | Touho | North Province | 2,283 |
| 22 | Voh | North Province | 2,272 |
| 23 | Bouloupari | South Province | 2,146 |
| 24 | Ouégoa | North Province | 2,127 |
| 25 | Kaala-Gomén | North Province | 1,897 |
| 26 | Yaté-Barrage | South Province | 1,871 |
| 27 | Vao | South Province | 1,862 |
| 28 | Pouembout | North Province | 1,511 |
| 29 | Poum | North Province | 1,405 |
| 30 | Wala | North Province | 890 |
| 31 | Sarraméa | South Province | 623 |
| 32 | Moindou | South Province | 609 |
| 33 | La Roche | Loyalty Islands | 550 |
Twenty years earlier: New Caledonia in the 2005 World Gazetteer — population then 232,410.
Common questions
What is the population of New Caledonia?
New Caledonia has a population of 297,892, the UN World Population Prospects estimate for 2026. The UN's medium-variant projection for 2050 is 340,580 — a forecast, not a measurement.
What is the capital of New Caledonia?
Noumea. The largest place we record there is Nouméa, with 93,060 people.