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 Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province
Sud
Independence:
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
National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)
Constitution:
4 October 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 Michel MATHIEU (since 15
July 2005)
head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle
THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)
cabinet: Consultative Committee consists of eight members chosen
from leading figures on the island to advise the High Commissioner
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 for a
five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 29 June
2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was elected on the third vote with
8 votes for and 3 abstentions
Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats;
members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees
Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3
note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate; by
2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate;
elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later
than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French
National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to
be held in June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - UMP 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 or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian
Union or UC; 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-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The
Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; 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]