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Country name:
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conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
conventional short form: New Caledonia
local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie
local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
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Dependency status:
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overseas territory of France since 1956
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Government type:
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NA
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Capital:
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Noumea
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Administrative divisions:
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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
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Independence:
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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
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National holiday:
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Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
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Constitution:
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28 September 1958 (French Constitution)
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Legal system:
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the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Daniel CONSTANTIN (since 3 July 2002)
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; note - last election held 28 November 2002 when Pierre FROGIER was reelected
head of government: President of the Government Pierre FROGIER (since 5 April 2001)
cabinet: Consultative Committee
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Legislative branch:
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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 24 September 2001 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to be held by June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP 2
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Judicial branch:
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Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court
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Political parties and leaders:
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Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; 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 [leader NA] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; 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]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA
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International organization participation:
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ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (overseas territory of France)
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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none (overseas territory of France)
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Flag description:
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the flag of France is used
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