New Caledonia is the most southerly of the Melanesian countries in the Pacific. It comprises the main island of Grande Terre and the dependencies of the Loyalty Islands (Isles Loyauté, Isle des Pins and the Bélep archipelago). The remaining islands, many of them coral atolls, are small and uninhabited.
A French possession since 1853 and a French Overseas Territory from 1958, New
Caledonians split with France on the question of independence. The Kanaks, the
indigenous Melanesian people but numbering under half of the population, support
independence, while the less numerous French settlers, many of whom fled Algeria
after it gained independence, are against it. In the 1990s, an agreement for increased
autonomy helped to ease the tension. But in 1998 France announced an agreement
with local Melanesians that a vote on independence should be postponed for 15
years.
New Caledonia is rich in minerals.
There's so much more to learn... Check out our Facts For The Visitor or read up on our reviews of everything about New Caledonia:
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