Short description: Overview of and topical guide to New Caledonia
The Flag of France
The Coat of arms of New Caledonia
The location of New CaledoniaAn enlargeable map of New Caledonia
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to New Caledonia:
New Caledonia[1] – "sui generis collectivity" (in practice an overseas territory) of France , comprising a main island (Grande Terre), the Loyalty Islands, and several smaller islands.[2] It is located in the region of Melanesia in the southwest Pacific. At about half the size of Taiwan, it has a land area of 18,575.5 square kilometres (7,172 sq mi). The population was 244,600 inhabitants as of January 2008 official estimates.[3] The capital and largest city of the territory is Nouméa. The currency is the CFP franc.
Since 1986 the United Nations Committee on Decolonization has included New Caledonia on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. New Caledonia decided to remain within the French Republic after three referendums held in 2018, 2020, and 2021. The future status of New Caledonia (i.e. possibility of becoming an independent state) is not settled, however.
Its capital Nouméa is the seat of the regional organization the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (formerly the South Pacific Commission).
↑Previously known officially as the "Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies" (French: Territoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances), then simply as the "Territory of New Caledonia" (French: Territoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie), the full French name is now officially only Nouvelle-Calédonie (Organic Law of 19 March 1999, article 222 IV — see "Archived copy". http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/imagesJOALL/1999/041/JO199904197ALL.pdf.). French courts often continue to use the appellation Territoire de la Nouvelle-Calédonie.