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GOVERNMENT OF NEW CALEDONIA
New Caledonia is a parliamentary democracy (Territorial Congress); an overseas collectivity of France. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Names of the Country: Official Name: 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. Source of the Name: British explorer Captain James COOK discovered and named New Caledonia in 1774; he used the appellation because the northeast of the island reminded him of Scotland (Caledonia is the Latin designation for Scotland). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Dependency Status: special collectivity (or a sui generis collectivity) of France since 1998; Independence referenda took place on 4 November 2018, 4 October 2020, and 12 December 2021 with a majority voting in each case to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo; an 18-month transition period is now in place (ending 30 June 2023), during which a referendum on the new status of New Caledonia within France will take place. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Capital: Noumea: Geographic Coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Administrative Divisions: 3 provinces; Province Iles (Islands Province), Province Nord (North Province), and Province Sud (South Province). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Independence: none (overseas collectivity of France); In three independence referenda, on 4 November 2018, 4 October 2020, and 12 December 2021, the majority voted to reject independence in favor of maintaining the status quo; an 18-month transition period is now in place (ending 30 June 2023), during which a referendum on the new status of New Caledonia within France will take place. National Holiday: Fete de la Federation, 14 July (1790); note: the local holiday is New Caledonia Day, 24 September (1853). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
National Symbols of New Caledonia
Flag: New Caledonia has two official flags; alongside the flag of France, the Kanak (indigenous Melanesian) flag has equal status; the latter consists of three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), red, and green; a large yellow disk: diameter two-thirds the height of the flag: shifted slightly to the hoist side is edged in black and displays a black fleche faitiere symbol, a native rooftop adornment. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
National Symbols: fleche faitiere (native rooftop adornment), kagu bird; national colors: gray, red
National Anthem: name: "Soyons unis, devenons freres" (Let Us Be United, Let Us Become Brothers), lyrics/music: Chorale Melodia (a local choir). It was adopted in 2008; contains a mixture of lyrics in both French and Nengone (an indigenous language); as a self-governing territory of France, in addition to the local anthem, "La Marseillaise" is official (see France)
Constitution and Legal System of New Caledonia
Constitution: 4 October 1958 (French Constitution with changes as reflected in the Noumea Accord of 5 May 1998). Amendments: French constitution amendment procedures apply. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Legal System: civil law system based on French civil law. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Citizenship: see France. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Executive Branch of New Caledonia
Chief of State: President Emmanuel MACRON (since 14 May 2017); represented by High Commissioner Patrice FAURE (since 6 June 2021)
Head of Government: President of the Government Louis MAPOU (since 22 July 2021); Vice President Isabelle CHAMPMOREAU (since 22 July 2021). [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Cabinet: Cabinet elected from and by the Territorial Congress. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Executive Branch Elections and Appointments: French president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of New Caledonia elected by Territorial Congress for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 8 July 2021 (next to be held in 2026)
Results of the Last Presidential Election: 2021: Louis MAPOU elected president by Territorial Congress with 6 votes out of 11 2019: Thieryy SANTA elected president by Territorial Congress; vote NA. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Legislative Branch of New Caledonia
has a unicameral Territorial Congress or Congrès du Territoire (54 seats; members indirectly selected proportionally by the partisan makeup of the 3 Provincial Assemblies or Assemblés Provinciales; members of the 3 Provincial Assemblies directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 5-year terms); note: the Customary Senate is the assembly of the various traditional councils of the Kanaks, the indigenous population, which rules on laws affecting the indigenous population New Caledonia indirectly elects 2 members to the French Senate by an electoral colleges for a 6-year term with one seat renewed every 3 years and directly elects 2 members to the French National Assembly by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Legislative Elections: Territorial Congress: last held on 12 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024) French Senate: election last held in September 2019 (next to be held not later than 2021) French National Assembly: election last held on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held by June 2027)
Results of the Last Legislative Election: Territorial Congress: percent of vote by party: N/A; seats by party: Future With Confidence 18, UNI 9, UC 9, CE 7, FLNKS 6, Oceanic Awakening 3, PT 1, LKS 1 (Anti-Independence 28, Pro-Independence 26); French Senate: percent of vote by party: NA; seats by party: UMP 2 French National Assembly: percent of vote by party: NA; seats by party: CE 2
Judicial Branch of New Caledonia
Highest Court: Court of Appeal in Noumea or Cour d'Appel; organized into civil, commercial, social, and pre-trial investigation chambers; court bench normally includes the court president and 2 counselors); Administrative Court (number of judges NA); note: final appeals beyond the Court of Appeal are referred to the Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (in Paris); final appeals beyond the Administrative Court are referred to the Administrative Court of Appeal (in Paris)
Judge Selection and Term of Office for the Highest Court: judge appointment and tenure based on France's judicial system. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Subordinate Courts: Courts of First Instance include: civil, juvenile, commercial, labor, police, criminal, assizes, and also a pre-trial investigation chamber; Joint Commerce Tribunal; administrative courts
Elections and Political Parties of New Caledonia
Voting Age: 18 years of age; universal. [Source: CIA World Factbook 2023]
Legislative Elections: Territorial Congress: last held on 12 May 2019 (next to be held in May 2024) French Senate: election last held in September 2019 (next to be held not later than 2021) French National Assembly: election last held on 12 and 19 June 2022 (next to be held by June 2027). See Executive and Legislative Branches Above
Political Parties of New Caledonia: Caledonia Together or CE led by Philippe GOMES br> Caledonian Union or UC led by Daniel GOA br> Future With Confidence or AEC led by Virginie RUFFENACH br> Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS (alliance includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM) led by Victor TUTUGORO br> Labor Party or PT led by Louis Kotra UREGEI br> National Union for Independence or UNI led by Louis MAPOU br> Oceanian Awakening led by Milakulo TUKUMULI br> Party of Kanak Liberation or PALIKA led by Paul NEAOUTYINE br> Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS led by Basile CITRE br> The Republicans (formerly The Rally or UMP) led by Sonia BACKES]. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
Government Spending, Taxes and Revenues
Government Budget: revenues: $1.995 billion (2015 estimate)
expenditures: $1.993 billion (2015 estimate)
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
0 percent (of GDP) (2015 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 47. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
Public Debt: 6.5 percent of GDP (2015 estimate)
6.5 percent of GDP (2014 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 202. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
Taxes: 20.4 percent (of GDP) (2015 estimate); ranking compared to other countries in the world: 87. [Source: CIA World Factbook, 2023]
Military and International Relations of New Caledonia
Military and Security Forces: no regular military forces. Defense is the responsibility of France. France bases land, air, and naval forces on New Caledonia (Forces Armées de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, FANC)
International Disputes: New Caledonia-France-Vanuatu: Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu
International Organization That It Participates In: ITUC (NGOs), PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WFTU (NGOs), WMO
Image Sources:
Text Sources: CIA World Factbook, 2023; “Encyclopedia of World Cultures, Volume 2: Oceania,” edited by Terence E. Hays, 1991, Wikipedia, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Times of London, Lonely Planet Guides, Library of Congress, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, BBC, CNN, and various books, websites and other publications.
Last updated August 2023