Feb 21, 2010
Vancouver (AFP) - Canada's Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir surged to the Olympic ice dancing lead as world champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin's controversial Aboriginal-themed original dance failed to impress in Vancouver.
A dramatic Spanish Flamenco allowed Virtue and Moir to overtake the Russians who had been leading after the compulsory dance, with the three-time Canadian champions scoring 68.41 points for the programme and 111.15 overall.
The Canadians opened up a 2.60-point advantage on US champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who moved into second with their crowd-pleasing Bollywood-themed Indian Dance.
The Americans scored 67.08 for the original dance and 108.55 overall
The Russians toned down their controversial costumes which had offended Australian Aboriginal elders during the European championships.
They lightened their dark bodysuits, cut back on some of the white swirls, although they stuck with their red loin cloths and threw in a few more eucalyptus-style leaves.
But it didn't go down well enough with the judges.
Domnina and Shabalin scored just 62.84 leaving them with an overall 106.60 and putting them 4.55 points behind the leaders in third position going into Monday's free dance final.
Olympic silver medallists Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto are in fourth position.
Russia look set to leave Vancouver without a figure skating title for the first time in 50 years with Domnina and Shabalin having a large gap to make up going into the final round of three.
Teams from Russia or the former Soviet Union have won all but two of the Olympic ice dancing titles since it was introduced to the Olympics in 1976.
February 24, 2010
February 23, 2010
THE LAST WILD CAMEL
Wild Bactrian, or two-humped, camels are extraordinary creatures. They also are very rare—at most, 950 remain in the wild, though this number may be much lower, since their broad habitat has made obtaining accurate population counts difficult. A number of human factors have contributed to their decline, including hunting for food and sport and nuclear testing and illegal mining activity within their native habitats in Mongolia and China. These human-induced reductions have resulted in an increased risk of further decline of wild Bactrian populations from natural causes, such as climate change and predation.
Wild Bactrian camels have a long and fascinating history. They have roamed the barren and rocky deserts of China and Mongolia for thousands of years. However, both Bactrians and their one-humped cousins, the dromedaries (or Arabian camels; now extinct in the wild), originated in North America between 40 million and 45 million years ago. Their divergence from their lamoid relatives—the domestic alpacas and llamas and the wild guanacos and vicuñas—took place about 11 million years ago and was followed by a long migration to southwest Asia, northern Africa, and the Gobi desert.
Two lineages
Recent investigations have indicated that following the migration of Bactrian camels across the Bering Strait and into Asia, the population diverged into two lineages. This split is believed to have occurred about 700,000 years ago, with one lineage eventually being domesticated. The taming of wild Bactrians to suit human needs is believed to have occurred initially in the Gobi desert, with the process complete possibly by as early as 4000 BCE in China. About 1,500 years later, the domestic camels appeared in the ancient Greek kingdom of Bactria, for which the camel is named. Bactria occupied a large region, which now forms part of modern-day Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
Two young Bactrian camels in winter steppe, Kyrgyzstan. The geographic range of domestic Bactrians was tied to the animals’ use in trade and travel, which significantly influenced the growth of human civilizations across Asia. The geographic locations where Bactrians were first domesticated is known from evidence of human use; domestic camels appear to have originally occupied a habitat extending from Bactria, to the western edge of modern-day Gansu province in northwestern China and to the Gobi in north-central China. This range overlaps with many of the same areas that were once occupied by their wild counterparts. In addition, the geographic isolation of certain domestic Bactrian populations has led to the rise of subspecies of domestic camel.
The few wild Bactrians remaining today can be divided into subpopulations that exist within just four distinct regions: the Altun mountains in the Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, in northwestern China; the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area in Mongolia; the Gaxun Gobi, a region encompassing the western portion of the Gobi desert within China; and the Takla Makan Desert, in west-central China. Unfortunately, the subpopulation previously reported in the Takla Makan is now suspected to be extinct, since wild Bactrians have not been sighted there for some time.
Today, despite the listing of wild Bactrians as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are disappearing at an alarming rate. About 20 are killed each year in China for human subsistence, and in Mongolia, another 25 to 30 are killed annually by humans and natural predators. At this pace, wild Bactrians, which have a life span of 40 to 50 years, will go extinct within two or three generations.
The human-induced decline of wild Bactrians has increased their susceptibility to nature. Even though wild Bactrians, with their fat-storing humps and dehydration-preventing kidneys, are magnificently adapted to the harsh climate of their habitat, in reduced numbers they represent a diminutive match for the powerful combination of drought and predation. As little as four inches of precipitation may fall in the Gobi in an entire year, and in years of exceptionally low rainfall, the remaining small groups of wild Bactrians are forced to return repeatedly to the same sources of water. Gathering around these oases are the camels’ primary predators, wolves, which lie in wait for easy kills. When the camels existed in large populations, such predatory behavior was less threatening. There was safety in large numbers.
Source
WWW.Britannica.com
Wild Bactrian camels have a long and fascinating history. They have roamed the barren and rocky deserts of China and Mongolia for thousands of years. However, both Bactrians and their one-humped cousins, the dromedaries (or Arabian camels; now extinct in the wild), originated in North America between 40 million and 45 million years ago. Their divergence from their lamoid relatives—the domestic alpacas and llamas and the wild guanacos and vicuñas—took place about 11 million years ago and was followed by a long migration to southwest Asia, northern Africa, and the Gobi desert.
Two lineages
Recent investigations have indicated that following the migration of Bactrian camels across the Bering Strait and into Asia, the population diverged into two lineages. This split is believed to have occurred about 700,000 years ago, with one lineage eventually being domesticated. The taming of wild Bactrians to suit human needs is believed to have occurred initially in the Gobi desert, with the process complete possibly by as early as 4000 BCE in China. About 1,500 years later, the domestic camels appeared in the ancient Greek kingdom of Bactria, for which the camel is named. Bactria occupied a large region, which now forms part of modern-day Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
Two young Bactrian camels in winter steppe, Kyrgyzstan. The geographic range of domestic Bactrians was tied to the animals’ use in trade and travel, which significantly influenced the growth of human civilizations across Asia. The geographic locations where Bactrians were first domesticated is known from evidence of human use; domestic camels appear to have originally occupied a habitat extending from Bactria, to the western edge of modern-day Gansu province in northwestern China and to the Gobi in north-central China. This range overlaps with many of the same areas that were once occupied by their wild counterparts. In addition, the geographic isolation of certain domestic Bactrian populations has led to the rise of subspecies of domestic camel.
The few wild Bactrians remaining today can be divided into subpopulations that exist within just four distinct regions: the Altun mountains in the Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, in northwestern China; the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area in Mongolia; the Gaxun Gobi, a region encompassing the western portion of the Gobi desert within China; and the Takla Makan Desert, in west-central China. Unfortunately, the subpopulation previously reported in the Takla Makan is now suspected to be extinct, since wild Bactrians have not been sighted there for some time.
Today, despite the listing of wild Bactrians as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are disappearing at an alarming rate. About 20 are killed each year in China for human subsistence, and in Mongolia, another 25 to 30 are killed annually by humans and natural predators. At this pace, wild Bactrians, which have a life span of 40 to 50 years, will go extinct within two or three generations.
The human-induced decline of wild Bactrians has increased their susceptibility to nature. Even though wild Bactrians, with their fat-storing humps and dehydration-preventing kidneys, are magnificently adapted to the harsh climate of their habitat, in reduced numbers they represent a diminutive match for the powerful combination of drought and predation. As little as four inches of precipitation may fall in the Gobi in an entire year, and in years of exceptionally low rainfall, the remaining small groups of wild Bactrians are forced to return repeatedly to the same sources of water. Gathering around these oases are the camels’ primary predators, wolves, which lie in wait for easy kills. When the camels existed in large populations, such predatory behavior was less threatening. There was safety in large numbers.
Source
WWW.Britannica.com
February 11, 2010
Sapporo Snow Festival
Huge glittering ice sculptures transform Sapporo into a magical winter wonderland during the annual Snow Festival. Teams of professional artists from around the globe create the frosty masterpieces at venues across the city, including Odori Park and the Suskino district.
The Sapporo Snow Festival sprung up from humble beginnings when, back in 1950, some students left six snow sculptures in Odori Park. From that day the event has, well, snowballed. Nowadays, teams from Japan and all over the world compete in the International Snow Statue Contest, some crafting sculptures the size of multi-storey buildings and the aim is to break the previous year's record of most snowmen in one place (the figure usually exceeds 10,000!).
February 9, 2010
Vanilla Festival in Papantla, Veracruz
The Vanilla Festival is held in early summer every year in Papantla, Veracruz. The origins of the festival pre-date the Spanish conquest. Its timing is now tied to the Catholic celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi (Body of Christ), sixty days after Easter.
Papantla is the heart of Mexico's vanilla-growing region. Vanilla, surely one of the world's best known flavors, if only on account of its ubiquitous use in ice-cream, comes from the seed pods of an orchid. The pods are about 20 centimeters in length and green when harvested. After careful and laborious drying and "sweating", these pods turn black. This caused Nahuatl-speaking Indians to name the plant tlilxóchitl (= black flower).
The orchid involved, Vanilla planifolia, grows as a thin vine twisting its way around host trees. The plant has delicate greenish-white flowers in Spring. If these flowers are not pollinated, they fall off the vine within hours. Flowers that are successfully pollinated (usually by bees) turn into seed pods, which take up to six months to ripen. For commercial cultivation, hand pollination of each individual flower is essential. Until about fifty years ago, traditional growers of vanilla in the Papantla region relied on young maidens using small sticks or feathers to perform this task. Like so many other traditions, this one has long since died out!
The Vanilla Festival invariably includes the Dance of the Voladores (Flyers). This is definitely one of the more extreme dances you will ever witness, something like multiple bungee jumping and maypole dancing being performed simultaneously!
The Vanilla Festival is a great place to see other folkloric dances, such as the quetzales and the dance of Los Negritos, in their original setting as well. Needless to say, besides the dancing, the festival has all the usual fun, stalls, and souvenirs - and even lots of genuine vanilla extract and vanilla pods, some of the latter woven into handicrafts...
Papantla is very close to the fabulous archaeological site of El Tajín, with its famous pyramid of the niches and other wonders. Hotels are available in Papantla, Poza Rica (an oil town) and in Tecolutla, a small, relaxed beach town on the Gulf.
Nocturnes- I
Nocturnes The nocturne is generally credited to John Field, an Irish composer and pianist, who published his first three nocturnes in 1814. These romantic character pieces are written in a somewhat melancholy style, with an expressive, dreamy melody over broken-chord accompaniment. The majority of Chopin’s nocturnes adopt a simple A-B-A form. The A part is usually in a dreamy bel canto style, whereas the B part is of a more dramatic content. In distinction of melody, wealth of harmony and originality of piano style, Chopin’s nocturnes leave Field’s far behind. The similarity of Chopin’s nocturnes to Bellini’s cavatinas (such as Casta diva from Norma) has often been noticed, though there is little evidence of direct influence in either direction.
We have seen the shy, serenely tender emotions which Field charged them to interpret, supplanted by strange and foreign effects. Only one genius possessed himself of this style, lending to it all the movement and ardour of which it was susceptible. Chopin, in his poetic Nocturnes, sang not only the harmonies which are the source of our most ineffable delights, but likewise the restless, agitating bewilderment to which they often give rise.
- Franz Liszt
Nocturne in B-flat Minor, Op. 9 No. 1 — Larghetto
The first of Chopin’s works to be published in France, Germany and England were these nocturnes (Op. 9), which appeared over the period of December 1832 to June 1833. They were composed—in part—in Vienna and completed in Paris. This first work immediately confirms the character of the nocturne. The irregularity of the rhythmic patterns is one aspect of Chopin’s style of ornamentation that continues to find varied expression in later works such as Op. 27 No. 2. This piece was composed in 1830/1832 and published in 1832/1833; it is dedicated to Marie Pleyel, the wife of publisher and virtuoso pianist Camille Pleyel.
Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2 — Andante
This nocturne resembles the style of Field’s Nocturne No. 9 in the same key. The left hand figuration is similar, and both have cadenza-like passages toward the end. This is Chopin’s most famous nocturnes. It was composed in 1830/1832 and published in 1833; it is also dedicated to Marie Pleyel.
Nocturne in B Major, Op. 9 No. 3 — Allegretto
This nocturne is obscure and rarely performed. It is an exercise in lyricism and delicacy. Its development is paradoxical in its torrential gracefulness. It was composed in 1830/1832 and published in 1833; it is also dedicated to Marie Pleyel, a lovely pianist of the period.
Nocturne in F Major, Op. 15 No. 1 — Andante Cantabile
The introduction of this night piece is calm and serene. This peace is followed by a stormy F minor central section, which purges sudden doubts and worries. A recapitulation follows, appeasing the anxiety and restoring the tranquility. It was composed in 1830/31 and published in 1833/34; it is dedicated to Ferdinand Hiller, a German composer, conductor and music director.
Nocturne in F-sharp Major, Op. 15 No. 2 — Larghetto
Although this Nocturne is fairly popular, this song is not so well known as the very famous nocturne in E-flat major. It has many more technical difficulties and requires more technique and a greater range of dynamics. Arthur Hedley said this nocturne was composed in 1832, after Chopin’s arrival in Paris. It was composed in 1830/31 and published in 1833/34; it is also dedicated to Ferdinand Hiller.
Nocturne in G Minor, Op. 15 No. 3 — Lento
In this Nocturne it is the irregularity and unpredictability of the phrasing that demands attention. It is wistful in its outer sections, with a hymn-like passage at its heart, marked religioso. To enhance the purity of this passage, Chopin deliberately refrained from using the sustaining pedal. The expected return to the opening, however, is replaced by a new idea, also somewhat modal in character. This seems to approach a cadence in D minor, but the concluding chords bring the music back to G, with an archaic 4-3 suspension and Picardy 3rd.
It is doubtful whether any consistent example of such harmony can be found of earlier date unless the third movement, “in the Lydian mode”, of Beethoven’s string quartet (Op. 132) is included.
A story goes that Chopin, upon seeing Hamlet, composed this nocturne and named it, On the Graveyard. After being asked later the reason for which he did not publish this title, Chopin answered: “Let them guess...”. This work was composed in 1833 and published in 1833/34; it is dedicated to Ferdinand Hiller.
Nocturne in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 1 — Larghetto
This nocturne was composed in 1834/35 and published in 1836; it is dedicated to Countess d’Apponyi. It is also known as: “Les plaintives”. It is clouded in a dark atmosphere, full of suspense and inner tension. The middle part is leading into a more triumphant mood, as the chordal section expands a moment of temporary glory. Niecks, an important Chopin biographer, considers these nocturnes (Op. 27) the best.
Nocturne in D-flat Major, Op. 27 No. 2 — Lento sostenuto
This Nocturne begins with a serene melody of hypnotic beauty, floating over a sea of D-flat major harmony. Its development heightens the sense of drama, and the piece closes in waves of melting nostalgia. It is indeed supreme in its class of Parisian salon pieces, if not more. It was composed in 1834/35 and published in 1836; it is dedicated to Countess d’Apponyi.
source
www.chopinmusic.net
February 4, 2010
From music to sport: Autonomy fosters passions among kids
Montreal, February 3, 2010 – Parents take heed: children and young adults are more likely to pursue sports, music or other pastimes when given an opportunity to nurture their own passion. According to a three-part study led by Geneviève Mageau, a psychology professor at the Université de Montréal, parental control can predict whether a child develops a harmonious or obsessive passion for a hobby.
Published in the latest Journal of Personality, the study was a collaboration with scientists from the Université de Montréal, the Université du Québec à Montreal and McGill University.
"We found that controlling adults can foster obsessive passion in their children by teaching them that social approval can only be obtained through excellence," says Dr. Mageau. "An activity then becomes highly important for self-protective reasons that don't necessarily correspond with a child's true desires."
From children to adults
As part of the study, the research team evaluated 588 musicians and athletes from swimmers to skiers. Participants were between six and 38 years old and practiced hobbies at different levels: beginner, intermediate and expert. Kids were recruited from high school or specialized summer camps, while adults were recruited at training camps and competitions. The scientific team used a Likert-type scale to measure how parents supported child autonomy and to evaluate child well-being regarding hobbies.
While parents do well to support their children to pursue an activity, such encouragement can graduate to unwelcome pressure. "Children and teenagers who are allowed to be autonomous are more likely to actively engage in their activity over time," says Dr. Mageau. "Being passionate should not be viewed as a personality trait – it is a special relationship one develops with an activity."
Source: University of Montreal
Published in the latest Journal of Personality, the study was a collaboration with scientists from the Université de Montréal, the Université du Québec à Montreal and McGill University.
"We found that controlling adults can foster obsessive passion in their children by teaching them that social approval can only be obtained through excellence," says Dr. Mageau. "An activity then becomes highly important for self-protective reasons that don't necessarily correspond with a child's true desires."
From children to adults
As part of the study, the research team evaluated 588 musicians and athletes from swimmers to skiers. Participants were between six and 38 years old and practiced hobbies at different levels: beginner, intermediate and expert. Kids were recruited from high school or specialized summer camps, while adults were recruited at training camps and competitions. The scientific team used a Likert-type scale to measure how parents supported child autonomy and to evaluate child well-being regarding hobbies.
While parents do well to support their children to pursue an activity, such encouragement can graduate to unwelcome pressure. "Children and teenagers who are allowed to be autonomous are more likely to actively engage in their activity over time," says Dr. Mageau. "Being passionate should not be viewed as a personality trait – it is a special relationship one develops with an activity."
Source: University of Montreal
February 2, 2010
Serenade - Franz Schubert(1797-1828)
Schubert's immortal "Serenade" was written in 1826. it is so familiar that it needs no analysis, nor is one necessary from any point of view. It is simply a lovely melody from first note to last, written upon the inspiration of the moment, and yet characterized by absolute perfection of finish and a grace and beauty of which one never tires. It was originally composed as an alto solo and male chorus and was subsequently rearranged for female voices only. The circumstances of its composition as told by Schubert's biographer, Von Hellborn, are of more than ordinary interest. Von Hellborn says:
"One Sunday, during the summer of 1826, Schubert with several friends was returning from Potzleinsdorf to the city, and on strolling along through Wahring, he saw his friend Tieze sitting at a table in the garden of the 'Zum Biersack.' The whole party determined on a halt in their journey. Tieze had a book lying open before him, and Schubert soon began to turn over the leaves. Suddenly he stopped, and pointing to a poem, exclaimed, 'such a delicious melody has just come into my head, if I but had a sheet of music paper with me.' Herr Doppler drew a few music lines on the back of a bill of fare, and in the midst of a genuine Sunday hubbub, with fiddlers, skittle players, and waiters running about in different directions with orders, Schubert wrote that lovely song."
"One Sunday, during the summer of 1826, Schubert with several friends was returning from Potzleinsdorf to the city, and on strolling along through Wahring, he saw his friend Tieze sitting at a table in the garden of the 'Zum Biersack.' The whole party determined on a halt in their journey. Tieze had a book lying open before him, and Schubert soon began to turn over the leaves. Suddenly he stopped, and pointing to a poem, exclaimed, 'such a delicious melody has just come into my head, if I but had a sheet of music paper with me.' Herr Doppler drew a few music lines on the back of a bill of fare, and in the midst of a genuine Sunday hubbub, with fiddlers, skittle players, and waiters running about in different directions with orders, Schubert wrote that lovely song."
New Celadonia
Background: Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made 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 seems to have dissipated.
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia. Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E. Area: Total: 19,060 sq km, land: 18,575 sq km, water: 485 sq km. Area - comparative: Slightly smaller than New Jersey. Coastline: 2,254 km.
Climate and Terrain: Tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid. Coastal plains with interior mountains. Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m, highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m. Natural resources: Nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper. Land use: Arable land: 0%, permanent crops: 0%, permanent pastures: 12%, forests and woodland: 39%, other: 49%. Irrigated land: 160 sq km. Natural hazards: Cyclones, most frequent from November to March.
People: Population: 204,863. Ethnic groups: Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%. Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%. Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects.
Government: Overseas territory of France since 1956. Capital: Noumea.
Economy overview: New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a negligible amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. Labor force: 79,395 (including 15, 018 unemployed, 1996). Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70%. Unemployment rate: 19%. Industries: nickel mining and smelting.
Statistics: Telephones - main lines in use: 47,000. Telephones - mobile cellular: 13,040. Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5. Radios: 107,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters). Televisions: 52,000. Internet country code: .nc Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1. Internet users: 5,000. Railways: 0 km Highways: total: 4,825 km, paved: 2,287 km, unpaved: 2,538 km. Airports: 29.) Heliports: 6
source
http://www.virtualoceania.net/newcaledonia/fact
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia. Geographic coordinates: 21 30 S, 165 30 E. Area: Total: 19,060 sq km, land: 18,575 sq km, water: 485 sq km. Area - comparative: Slightly smaller than New Jersey. Coastline: 2,254 km.
Climate and Terrain: Tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid. Coastal plains with interior mountains. Elevation extremes: Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m, highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m. Natural resources: Nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper. Land use: Arable land: 0%, permanent crops: 0%, permanent pastures: 12%, forests and woodland: 39%, other: 49%. Irrigated land: 160 sq km. Natural hazards: Cyclones, most frequent from November to March.
People: Population: 204,863. Ethnic groups: Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%. Religions: Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%. Languages: French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects.
Government: Overseas territory of France since 1956. Capital: Noumea.
Economy overview: New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a negligible amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. Labor force: 79,395 (including 15, 018 unemployed, 1996). Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70%. Unemployment rate: 19%. Industries: nickel mining and smelting.
Statistics: Telephones - main lines in use: 47,000. Telephones - mobile cellular: 13,040. Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 5. Radios: 107,000 (1997) Television broadcast stations: 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters). Televisions: 52,000. Internet country code: .nc Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1. Internet users: 5,000. Railways: 0 km Highways: total: 4,825 km, paved: 2,287 km, unpaved: 2,538 km. Airports: 29.) Heliports: 6
source
http://www.virtualoceania.net/newcaledonia/fact
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