e 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud
Independence:
none (overseas territory of France; a referendum on independence will
be held in 1998)
National holiday:
National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 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 Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981)
head of government:
High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Alain
CHRISTNACHT (since 15 January 1991; appointed by the French Ministry
of the Interior); President of the Territorial Congress Simon
LOUECKHOTE (since 26 June 1989)
cabinet:
Consultative Committee
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Territorial Assembly:
elections last held 11 June 1989 (next to be held 1993); results -
RPCR 44.5%, FLNKS 28.5%, FN 7%, CD 5%, UO 4%, other 11%; seats - (54
total) RPCR 27, FLNKS 19, FN 3, other 5; note - election boycotted by
FULK
French Senate:
elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held September
2001); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (1 total) RPCR 1
French National Assembly:
elections last held 21 March 1993 (next to be held 21 and 28 March
1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (2 total) RPCR 2
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal
Political parties and leaders:
white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique
(RPCR), conservative, Jacques LAFLEUR - affiliated to France's
Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR); Melanesian proindependence
Kanaka Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS), Paul NEAOUTYINE;
Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation (LKS), Nidoish
NAISSELINE; National Front (FN), extreme right, Guy GEORGE; Caledonie
Demain (CD), right-wing, Bernard MARANT; Union Oceanienne (UO),
conservative, Michel HEMA; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak (FULK),
proindependence, Clarence UREGEI; Union Caledonian (UC), Francois
BURCK
Member of:
ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
none (overseas territory of France)
US diplomatic representation:
none (overseas territory of France)
Flag:
the flag of France is used

@New Caledonia, Economy

Overview:
New Caledonia has more than 25% of the world's known nickel resources.
I