Long-form name: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

Type: overseas territory of France

Capital: Noumea

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France)

Independence: none (overseas territory of France)

Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system: French law

National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

Branches: administered by high commissioner, responsible to French Ministry for Overseas France and to Council of Government; 46-seat Territorial Assembly

Leaders: @m5Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); @m5Head of Government High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Bernard GRASSET (since 15 July 1988)

Suffrage: universal

Elections: Assembly elections every five years, last held in November 1984

Political parties: white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique (RPCR), conservative; Melanesian proindependence Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS); Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation (LKS)

Voting strength: (1984 election) Territorial Assembly--RPCR, 34 seats; LKS, 6 seats; splinter groups, 2 seats; FLNKS boycotted the election

Communists: number unknown; Palita extreme left party; some politically active Communists deported during 1950s; small number of North Vietnamese

Member of: EIB (associate), WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation: as an overseas territory of France, New Caledonian interests are represented in the US by France

Flag: the flag of France is used

NOTE: The information regarding New Caledonia on this page is re-published from the 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of New Caledonia Government 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about New Caledonia Government 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.