New
Caledonia consists of the main island
of New Caledonia (one of the largest in the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago
of Iles Loyaute, and numerous small, sparsely populated islands and atolls
.
Country name: |
conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie |
Dependency status: |
territorial collectivity of France since 1998 |
Government type: |
NA |
Capital: |
name: Noumea geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Administrative divisions: |
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province Sud |
Independence: |
none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is scheduled for 2014 |
National holiday: |
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Constitution: |
4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Legal system: |
the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law |
Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal |
Executive branch: |
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995); represented by High Commissioner Michel MATHIEU (since 15 July 2005) head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004) cabinet: Consultative Committee consists of eight members chosen from leading figures on the island to advise the High Commissioner elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 29 June 2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was elected on the third vote with 8 votes for and 3 abstentions (next to be held in 2009) |
Legislative branch: |
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats; members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3 note: New Caledonia currently holds one seat in the French Senate; by 2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate; elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects two seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held in June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP 2 |
Judicial branch: |
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court |
Political parties and leaders: |
Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independence) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist, but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Victor TUTUGORO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
International organization participation: |
ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO |
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
none (overseas territory of France) |
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
none (overseas territory of France) |
Flag description: |
the flag of France is used |
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