|
| 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: |
overseas territory of France since 1956
|
| 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 Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud
|
| Independence: |
none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass
|
| National holiday: |
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
|
| Constitution: |
28 September 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 Thierry LATASTE (since 19 July 1999)
head of government:
President of the Government Jean LEQUES (since 28 May 1999)
cabinet:
Consultative Committee
elections:
French president elected by popular vote for a seven-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
|
| Legislative branch: |
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1
note:
New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 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 [Didier LEROUX]; Developper Ensemble pour Construire l'Avenir or DEPCA [Robert FROUIN]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Leopald SOREDIE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Groupe de l'Alliance Multiraciale or GAM [Dany DALMAYRAE]; Independance et Progres [Alphonse PUJAPUJANE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); La Caledonie Autrement [Denis MILLIARD]; Loyalty Islands Development Front or FDIL [Cono HAMU]; National Front or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Charles WASHETINE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [leader NA]; Renouveau [Thierry VALET]; Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]; Union Caledonienne or UC [Bernard LEPEU]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Andre GOPEA]
|
| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA
|
| International organization participation: |
ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, 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
|
|
|
|
