120-455: The Pindai Caves of New Caledonia are an archaeological and palaeontological site important for the study of prehistoric human settlement as well as of the Holocene fauna of the island. The Pindai area has been occupied by humans for varying periods over the last 2,800 years. The site comprises six caves, in coral limestone upraised about 5 m (16 ft), at the seaward tip of
240-600: A Free French committee and appointed Henri Sautot as governor. The Vichy government despatched a warship, Dumont d'Urville , at Pélicier's request, but soon deemed him incompetent and appointed an acting governor. By this time the Australian government had agreed to intervene and despatched HMAS Adelaide to oversee the installation of Sautot as governor. A stand-off between Dumont d'Urville and Adelaide followed, with Pélicier and other pro-Vichy officials ultimately deported to French Indochina. In 1941, some 300 men from
360-613: A county along with Denmark, but after gaining autonomy with the introduction of home rule within the Kingdom of Denmark , Greenland voted to leave in 1982 and left in 1985 , to become an OCT. The main reason for leaving is disagreements about the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and to regain control of Greenlandic fish resources to subsequently remain outside EU waters. Greenlandic nationals (OCT-nationals) are, nonetheless, EU citizens due to Greenland's associated relationship with
480-615: A Swedish-speaking population, joined the EU along with Finland in 1995. The islands had a separate referendum on accession and like the Finnish mainland voted in favour. EU law, including the fundamental four freedoms , applies to Åland. However, there are some derogations due to the islands' special status. Åland is outside the VAT area and is exempt from common rules in relation to turnover taxes , excise duties and indirect taxation. In addition, to protect
600-410: A coalition of several pro-independence groups. Kanak society has several layers of customary authority, from the 4,000–5,000 family-based clans to the eight customary areas ( aires coutumières ) that make up the territory. Clans are led by clan chiefs and constitute 341 tribes, each headed by a tribal chief. The tribes are further grouped into 57 customary chiefdoms ( chefferies ), each headed by
720-796: A few products, the permanence and combination of which severely restrain their development". All form part of the European Union customs area ; however, some fall outside of the Schengen Area and the European Union Value Added Tax Area . Seven Outermost Regions were recognised at the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. The Treaty of Lisbon included two additional territories ( Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin ) in 2007. Saint Barthélemy changed its status from OMR to OCT with effect from 1 January 2012. Mayotte , which
840-499: A head chief, and forming the administrative subdivisions of the customary areas. The Customary Senate is the assembly of the various traditional councils of the Kanaks, and has jurisdiction over the law proposals concerning the Kanak identity. The Customary Senate is composed of 16 members appointed by each traditional council, with two representatives per customary area. In its advisory role,
960-542: A meeting chaired by the French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe on 2 November 2017, to be held by November 2018. Voter list eligibility was the subject of a long dispute, but the details were resolved in an electoral list that granted automatic eligibility to voters of Kanak origin but excluded those of other origins who had not been longtime residents of the territory. The referendum was held on 4 November 2018 , with independence being rejected. Another referendum
1080-673: A motto, and a new design for its banknotes. In July 2010, the Congress of New Caledonia voted in favour of a wish to fly the Kanak flag of the independence movement FLNKS alongside the French tricolour , as dual flags of the territory . The wish, legally non-binding, proved controversial. A majority of New Caledonian communes, but not all, now fly both flags, the rest flying only the French Tricolour. The non-official adoption made New Caledonia one of
1200-730: A permanent local population. The OCTs have been explicitly invited by the EU treaty to join the EU-OCT Association (OCTA). They were listed in the Article ;198 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union , which aside from inviting them to join OCTA, also provided them the opportunity to opt into EU provisions on the freedom of movement for workers and freedom of establishment. Yet,
1320-462: A protocol to the Brexit withdrawal agreement , certain provisions of EU law on agriculture, customs, indirect taxation, social security and border control continue to apply to the sovereign base areas. The United Nations buffer zone between north and south Cyprus ranges in width from a few metres in central Nicosia to several kilometres in the countryside. While it is nominally under the sovereignty of
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#17330855929641440-581: A regiment of the Troupes de marine , the Régiment d'infanterie de marine du Pacifique . About 80 percent of the 700-member regiment is composed of soldiers on short-term (four month) deployments from metropolitan France. As of 2018, only about 30 personnel in the regiment were locally recruited. The naval forces incorporate several vessels of the French Navy including: one Floréal -class frigate , Vendémiaire ,
1560-532: A special relationship with one of the member states of the EU. Their status is described in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union , and they are not part of the EU or the European Single Market . The Overseas Countries and Territories Association was created to improve economic development and cooperation between the OCTs and the EU, and includes most OCTs except three territories which do not have
1680-607: A state of emergency; however, regional elections went ahead , and the FLNKS won control of three out of four provinces. The centre-right government elected in France in March 1986 began eroding the arrangements established under the Socialists, redistributing lands mostly without consideration of native land claims, resulting in over two-thirds going to Europeans and less than a third to the Kanaks. By
1800-497: A three-week exercise. In addition, some 855 personnel from the National Gendarmerie are stationed on the archipelago divided into 4 companies, 27 brigades and several specialized and mobile Gendarmerie units. During periods such the 2021 referendum on independence, these forces have been significantly reinforced with personnel deployed from metropolitan France. The air component includes two Écureuil helicopters while
1920-422: A violent reaction in 1878, when High Chief Ataï [ fr ] of La Foa managed to unite many of the central tribes and launched a guerrilla war that killed 200 Frenchmen and 1,000 Kanaks. A second uprising [ fr ] occurred in 1917, with Protestant missionaries like Maurice Leenhardt functioning as witnesses to the events of this war. Leenhardt would pen a number of ethnographic works on
2040-629: Is Nouméa . New Caledonia was part of the continent Zealandia , which broke off from the supercontinent Gondwana between 79 million and 83 million years ago. The earliest traces of human presence in New Caledonia date back to the period when the Lapita culture was influential in large parts of the Pacific, c. 1600 –500 BC or 1300–200 BC. The Lapita were highly skilled navigators and agriculturists . The first settlements were concentrated around
2160-600: Is a " sui generis collectivity". Saint Barthélemy and Saint Pierre and Miquelon use the euro , while New Caledonia, French Polynesia and Wallis and Futuna use the CFP Franc , a currency which is tied to the euro and guaranteed by France. Natives of the collectivities are European citizens owing to their French citizenship and elections to the European Parliament are held in the collectivities. On 22 February 2007, Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin were separated from
2280-547: Is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean , 220 km (140 mi) southwest of Vanuatu and 1,210 km (750 mi) east of Australia . Located 16,100 km (10,000 mi) from Metropolitan France , it forms a sui generis collectivity of the French Republic , a legal status unique in overseas France and enshrined in a dedicated chapter of the French Constitution . The archipelago, part of
2400-507: Is also to be delivered to naval forces based in New Caledonia by 2025. The landing craft is to better support coastal and riverine operations in the territory. As of the latter 2010s, French naval aviation and air force elements in New Caledonia included two Navy Falcon 200 Gardian maritime surveillance aircraft (drawn from Flotilla 25F), which are to be replaced by the more modern Falcon 2000 Albatros starting in 2025, plus two Casa CN235 transport aircraft and three Puma helicopters from
2520-540: Is further divided into 33 communes (municipalities). One commune, Poya , is divided between two provinces. The northern half of Poya, with the main settlement and most of the population, is part of the North Province, while the southern half of the commune, with only 210 inhabitants in 2019, is part of the South Province. New Caledonia is part of Zealandia , a fragment of the ancient Gondwana super-continent, which
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#17330855929642640-411: Is governed de facto by a separate state, albeit a state recognized only by Turkey. The United Kingdom has two sovereign base areas on Cyprus, namely Akrotiri and Dhekelia . Unlike other British overseas territories, their inhabitants (who are entitled to British Overseas Territories Citizenship ) have never been entitled to British citizenship . Prior to Cypriot accession to the EU in 2004, although
2760-504: Is lower than the rest of Portugal, but they are not outside the EU VAT Area . The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago off the African coast which form one of the 17 autonomous communities of Spain –the country's principal first-level administrative division. They are outside the EU VAT Area . The Canary Islands are the most populous and economically strongest territory of all
2880-478: Is of diverse origins and varies by geography; in the North and Loyalty Islands Provinces , the indigenous Kanak people predominate, while the wealthy South Province contains significant populations of European ( Caldoches and Metropolitan French ), Kanak , and Polynesian (mostly Wallisian ) origin, as well as smaller groups of Southeast Asian , Pied-Noir , and North African heritage. The capital of New Caledonia
3000-425: Is part of Oceania . It is speculated that New Caledonia separated from Australia roughly 66 million years ago, subsequently drifting in a north-easterly direction, reaching its present position about 50 million years ago. The mainland is divided in length by a central mountain range whose highest peaks are Mont Panié (1,629 m or 5,344 ft) in the north and Mont Humboldt (1,618 m or 5,308 ft) in
3120-576: Is recognised only by Turkey ) by article 1(1) of the Cyprus Protocol. If the island is reunified, the Council of the European Union will repeal the suspension by a decision. Four months after such a decision has been adopted, new elections to the European Parliament will be held on the island to elect Cypriot representatives from the whole of the island. Cypriot nationality law applies to
3240-462: Is strongly moderated by the oceanic influence and the trade winds that attenuate humidity, which can be close to 80%. The average annual temperature is 23 °C, with historical extremes of 2.3 and 39.1 °C (36.1 and 102.4 °F). The rainfall records show that precipitation differs greatly within the island. The 3,000 millimetres (120 in) of rainfall recorded in Galarino are three times
3360-550: Is used on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, while Curaçao and Sint Maarten utilize their own shared currency the Antillean guilder , and finally the currency of Aruba is the Aruban florin . Aruba , Curaçao , and Sint Maarten are classified as "countries" under Dutch law, and have considerable internal autonomy. In June 2008, the Dutch government published a report on the projected effect on
3480-646: The Maritime Gendarmerie deploys the patrol boat Dumbea in the territory. New Caledonia has been a member of the Pacific Community since 1983 with Nouméa the home of the organization's regional headquarters. Since 1986, the United Nations Committee on Decolonization has included New Caledonia on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories . An independence referendum
3600-435: The 2012 French presidential election , the voter turnout in New Caledonia was 61.19%. For 25 years, the party system in New Caledonia was dominated by the anti-independence The Rally–UMP . This dominance ended with the emergence of a new party, Avenir Ensemble , also opposed to independence, but considered more open to dialogue with the Kanak movement, which is part of the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front ,
3720-525: The Baie d'Harcourt , flowing towards the northern point of the island along the western escarpment of the Mount Panié. Most of the island is covered by wet evergreen forests, while savannahs dominate the lower elevations. The New Caledonian lagoon, with a total area of 24,000 square kilometres (9,300 sq mi) is one of the largest lagoons in the world. The lagoon and the surrounding New Caledonia Barrier Reef
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3840-455: The Caribbean (13 km or 5 sq mi). The French Southern and Antarctic Lands is the only special territory without a permanent population. The Outermost Regions (OMR) are territories forming part of a member state of the European Union but situated a significant distance from mainland Europe . Due to this situation, they have derogation from some EU policies despite being part of
3960-700: The Danish Realm , may become EU citizens by changing their registered residence to the Danish mainland. The Faroe Islands are not part of the Schengen Area, and Schengen visas are not valid. However, the islands are part of the Nordic Passport Union and the Schengen Agreement provides that travellers passing between the islands and the Schengen Area are not to be treated as passing the external frontier of
4080-486: The European Union and the European Free Trade Association . The special territories of EU member states are categorised under three headings: nine Outermost Regions ( OMR ) that form part of the European Union, though they benefit from derogations from some EU laws due to their geographical remoteness from mainland Europe; thirteen Overseas Countries and Territories ( OCT ) that do not form part of
4200-549: The European Union . New Caledonia has a land area of 18,575 km (7,172 sq mi) divided into three provinces . The North and South Provinces are on the New Caledonian mainland, while the Loyalty Islands Province is a series of four inhabited islands off the east coast of mainland (from north to south: Ouvéa , Lifou , Tiga , and Maré ). New Caledonia's population of 271,407 (October 2019 census)
4320-658: The Lisbon Treaty which listed them as outermost regions. However, Saint Barthélemy ceased being an outermost region and left the EU, to become an OCT, on 1 January 2012. The change was made to facilitate trade with countries outside the EU, notably the United States, and was made possible by a provision of the Lisbon Treaty which allows the European Council to change the EU status of a Danish, Dutch, or French territory on
4440-737: The Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre , the Loyalty Islands , the Chesterfield Islands , the Belep archipelago, the Isle of Pines , and a few remote islets. The Chesterfield Islands are in the Coral Sea . French people, especially locals, call Grande Terre le Caillou ( pron. [lə kaju] , lit. ' the stone ' ), a nickname also used more generally for
4560-531: The Netherlands proper . Their current OCT status, and the prospect of advancing their status to become part of the EU as new OMRs (outermost regions), was reviewed by the Dutch parliament in 2015, as part of the planned review of the Dutch law (WOLBES and FINBES) concerning the quality of their recently implemented new public administration bodies. In October 2015, the review concluded the present legal structures for governance and integration with European Netherlands
4680-534: The Republic of Cyprus became part of the European Union on 1 May 2004, the northern third of the island was outside of the effective control of its government due to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus , a United Nations buffer zone of varying width separated the two parts, and a further 3% of the island was taken up by UK sovereign bases (under British sovereignty since the Treaty of Establishment in 1960). Two protocols to
4800-482: The Rome Treaty was signed in March 1957, a total of 15 OCTs existed: French West Africa , French Equatorial Africa , Saint Pierre and Miquelon , Comoros Archipelago , French Madagascar , French Somaliland , New Caledonia , French Polynesia , French Southern and Antarctic Lands , French Togoland , French Cameroons , Belgian Congo , Ruanda-Urundi , Trust Territory of Somalia , Netherlands New Guinea . The list
4920-534: The Treaty of Accession 2003 —numbers 3 and 10, known as the "Sovereign Base Areas Protocol" and the "Cyprus Protocol" respectively – reflect this complex situation. EU law only applies fully to the part of the island that is effectively controlled by the government of the Republic of Cyprus. EU law is suspended in the northern third of the island (the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus , whose independence
Pindai Caves - Misplaced Pages Continue
5040-473: The president of France . They have the right to vote in elections to the European Parliament . It is governed by a 54-member Territorial Congress , a legislative body composed of members of three provincial assemblies. The French State is represented in the territory by a High Commissioner . At a national level, New Caledonia is represented in the French Parliament by two deputies and two senators. At
5160-676: The 1930s. In June 1940, after the fall of France , the General Council of New Caledonia voted to reject the Vichy government and continue supporting the Allied military effort against Germany. However, the colonial governor Georges-Marc Pélicier promulgated the Vichy government's Constitutional Law , which sparked street demonstrations and an assassination attempt. By this time Caldoches had been in contact with Charles de Gaulle who encouraged them to form
5280-619: The 35 known species of Araucaria , 13 are endemic to New Caledonia. New Caledonia also has the world's most divergent lineage of flowering plant , Amborella trichopoda , which is at, or near, the base of the clade of all flowering plants. Overseas Countries and Territories The special territories of members of the European Economic Area ( EEA ) are the 32 special territories of EU member states and EFTA member states which, for historical, geographical, or political reasons, enjoy special status within or outside
5400-683: The Air Force's 52 "Tontouta" Squadron. Prior to 2022, the frigate Vendémiaire operated the Alouette III helicopter . However, with the retirement of the type in 2022, it is being replaced by the Eurocopter Dauphin N3 . In 2022, the French Air Force demonstrated a capacity to reinforce the territory by deploying three Rafale fighters, supported by A400M transport aircraft and A330 MRTT Phénix tankers, from France to New Caledonia for
5520-548: The Area. This means that there is no formal passport control, but an identity check at check-in for air or boat travel to the islands where Nordic citizens on intra-Nordic travel need no passport, only showing the ticket plus identity card. Heligoland is an archipelago of Germany situated in the North Sea 70 km (43 mi) off the German north-western coast. It is part of the EU, but
5640-744: The Customary Senate must be consulted on law proposals "concerning the Kanak identity" as defined in the Nouméa Accord. It also has a deliberative role on law proposals that would affect identity, the civil customary statute, and the land system. A new president is appointed each year in August or September, and the presidency rotates between the eight customary areas. Kanak people have recourse to customary authorities regarding civil matters such as marriage, adoption, inheritance, and some land issues. The French administration typically respects decisions made in
5760-422: The Cyprus Protocol allows the European Council to determine to what extent the provisions of EU law apply in the buffer zone. The Faroe Islands have never been part of the EU. Danish citizens residing on the islands are not considered citizens of a member state within the meaning of the treaties or, consequently, citizens of the European Union. However, Faroese people, who are Danish citizens i.e. citizens of
5880-403: The EU within the meaning of EU treaties as well as holding Danish nationality . The EU–Greenland relationship is a comprehensive partnership, which is complementary to the OCT association arrangements under "Council Decision 2013/755/EU"; based specifically on "Council Decision 2014/137 of 14 March 2014" (outlining the relations) and the Fisheries Partnership Agreement of 30 July 2006. While
6000-422: The EU, Livigno is excluded from the customs union and VAT area, with Livigno's tax status dating back to Napoleonic times. Campione is excluded from the EU VAT area. It was excluded from the EU customs area until the end of 2019. Shops and restaurants in Campione accept payments in both euros and Swiss francs, and prices are displayed in both euros and Swiss francs. Ceuta and Melilla are two Spanish cities on
6120-434: The EU. As with the French overseas departments, the euro is legal tender in Saint Martin, and it is outside the Schengen Area and the EU VAT Area. On 22 February 2007, Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy were broken away from the French overseas department of Guadeloupe to form new overseas collectivities. As a consequence their EU status was unclear for a time. While a report issued by the French parliament suggested that
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#17330855929646240-411: The European Union are: The Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) is an organisation founded on 17 November 2000 and headquartered in Brussels . All OCTs have joined OCTA as of February 2020. Its purpose is to improve economic development in overseas countries and territories, as well as cooperation with the European Union . On 25 June 2008, a Cooperation Treaty between the EU and OCTA
6360-417: The European Union, though they cooperate with the EU via the Overseas Countries and Territories Association ; and ten special cases that form part of the European Union (with the exception of the Faroe Islands ), though EU laws make ad hoc provisions. The Outermost Regions were recognised at the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, and confirmed by the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007. The Treaty on
6480-407: The European Union. According to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union , both primary and secondary European Union law applies automatically to these territories, with possible derogations to take account of their "structural social and economic situation (...) which is compounded by their remoteness, insularity, small size, difficult topography and climate, economic dependence on
6600-421: The French overseas department of Guadeloupe to form new overseas collectivities . As a consequence, their EU status was unclear for a time. While a report issued by the French parliament suggested that the islands remained within the EU as outermost regions, European Commission documents listed them as being outside the European Community. The legal status of the islands was clarified on the coming into force of
6720-399: The Functioning of the European Union states that both primary and secondary European Union law applies automatically to the outermost regions, with possible derogations due to the particularities of these territories. The Overseas Countries and Territories are recognised by Article 198 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union which allows them to opt into EU provisions on
6840-541: The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) or the GATS Annex on Financial Services. The OCTs are not subject to the EU's common external customs tariffs but may claim customs on goods imported from the EU on a non-discriminatory basis. They are not part of the EU and the EU acquis does not apply to them, though those joining OCTA are required to respect the detailed rules and procedures outlined by this association agreement (Council Decision 2013/755/EU). OCTA members are entitled to ask for EU financial support. When
6960-513: The Kanak of New Caledonia. Noël of Tiamou led the 1917 rebellion, which resulted in a number of orphaned children, one of whom was taken into the care of Protestant missionary Alphonse Rouel. This child, Wenceslas Thi, would become the father of Jean-Marie Tjibaou (1936–1989). Europeans brought new diseases such as smallpox and measles , which caused the deaths of many natives. The Kanak population declined from around 60,000 in 1878 to 27,100 in 1921, and their numbers did not increase again until
7080-616: The Loyalty Islands were first visited between 1793 and 1796 when Mare, Lifou, Tiga, and Ouvea were mapped by English whaler William Raven . Raven encountered the island, then named Britania, and today known as Maré (Loyalty Is.), in November 1793. From 1796 until 1840, only a few sporadic contacts with the archipelago were recorded. About 50 American whalers left record of being in the region (Grande Terre, Loyalty Is., Walpole and Hunter) between 1793 and 1887. Contacts with visiting ships became more frequent after 1840, because of their interest in sandalwood . As trade in sandalwood declined, it
7200-498: The North African coast. They are part of the EU but they are excluded from the common agricultural and fisheries policies. They are also outside the customs union and VAT area, but no customs are levied on goods exported from the Union into either Ceuta and Melilla, and certain goods originating in Ceuta and Melilla are exempt from customs charges. While nominally part of the Schengen Area (Schengen visas are valid), Spain performs identity checks on all sea and air passengers leaving
7320-515: The Népoui Peninsula on the north-west coast of Grande Terre , about 240 km (149.1 mi) north-west of Noumea . Two of the caves have easy walk-in access; they contain the richest cultural material and the fewest fossils. The other four caves are sinkholes capable of trapping animals, especially ground-dwelling and flightless birds, and contain the most fossils. All the caves broaden from their entrances into large underground chambers. Numerous subfossils of extinct fauna have been found in
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#17330855929647440-446: The Republic of Cyprus, are entitled to EU citizenship. Just under half of the population of the sovereign base areas are Cypriots, the rest are British military personnel, support staff and their dependants. In a declaration attached to the Treaty of Establishment of the Republic of Cyprus of 1960, the British government undertook not to allow new settlement of people in the sovereign base areas other than for temporary purposes. Under
7560-461: The Republic of Cyprus, it is effectively administered by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). The population of the zone is 8,686 (as of October 2007), and one of the mandates of UNFICYP is "to encourage the fullest possible resumption of normal civilian activity in the buffer zone". Inhabited villages located in the buffer zone are legally administered by the Republic of Cyprus but policed by UN peacekeepers. Article 2.1 of
7680-434: The Republic. The euro is legal tender; however, they are outside the Schengen Area and the EU VAT Area. Mayotte is the newest of the five overseas departments, having changed from an overseas collectivity with OCT status on 31 March 2011. It became an outermost region, and thus part of the EU, on 1 January 2014. Saint Martin is the only overseas collectivity of France with the status of being an Outermost Region of
7800-427: The Schengen area until Switzerland joined on 12 December 2008. The Italian exclave village of Campione d'Italia is enclaved by Switzerland 's Ticino canton as well as Lake Lugano (or Ceresio) , and is a comune in the Province of Como , whilst Livigno , a small and remote mountain resort town, is a comune in the Province of Sondrio . Both comuni are part of the Lombardy region . Although part of
7920-414: The Swedish language. The German village of Büsingen am Hochrhein is an exclave entirely surrounded by Switzerland , and as such is, for practical purposes, in a customs union with the latter non-EU country. The euro is legal tender, though the Swiss franc is preferred. Büsingen is excluded from the EU customs union and the EU VAT area. Swiss VAT generally applies. Büsingen was also outside of
8040-419: The Treaty of Rome, allowing the Netherlands to ratify on behalf of the Netherlands in Europe and Netherlands New Guinea only, which it subsequently did. Following the entry into force of the Convention on the association of the Netherlands Antilles with the European Economic Community on 1 October 1964, however, the Netherlands Antilles became OCTs. Greenland joined the then European Community in 1973 as
8160-443: The United Kingdom was an EU member at the time, EU law did not apply to the sovereign base areas. This position was changed by the Cypriot accession treaty so that EU law, while still not applying in principle, applied to the extent necessary to implement a protocol attached to that treaty. This protocol applied EU law relating to the Common Agricultural Policy , customs, indirect taxation, social policy and justice and home affairs to
8280-614: The abuses of blackbirding and 'recruitment' strategies on the coastlines. The first missionaries from the London Missionary Society and the Marist Brothers arrived in the 1840s. In 1849, the crew of the American ship Cutter was killed and eaten by the Pouma clan. Human cannibalism was widespread throughout New Caledonia. On 24 September 1853, under orders from Emperor Napoleon III , Admiral Febvrier Despointes took formal possession of New Caledonia. Captain Louis-Marie-François Tardy de Montravel founded Port-de-France (Nouméa) on 25 June 1854. A few dozen free settlers settled on
8400-517: The anchor of la Coloniale , the BIM, to form the Bataillon de l'infanterie de marine et du Pacifique . The combined battalion formed part of the Gaulliste 1 Division Motorisée d'Infanterie / Division de Marche d'Infanterie , alongside three divisions from the French North African forces, in the French Expeditionary Corps during the Italian Campaign. They landed in Provence in 1944, when they were posted out and replaced by local French volunteers and résistants. Meanwhile, in March 1942, with
8520-428: The assault. The Matignon Agreements , signed on 26 June 1988, ensured a decade of stability. The Nouméa Accord , signed 5 May 1998, set the groundwork for a 20-year transition that gradually transfers competences to the local government. Following the timeline set by the Nouméa Accord that stated a vote must take place by the end of 2018, the groundwork was laid for a referendum on full independence from France at
8640-803: The assistance of Australia, New Caledonia became an important Allied base, and the main South Pacific Fleet base of the United States Navy in the South Pacific moved to Nouméa in 1942–1943. The fleet that turned back the Japanese Navy in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942 was based at Nouméa. American troops stationed on New Caledonia numbered as many as 50,000, matching the entire local population at
8760-472: The average of the west coast. There are also dry periods, because of the effects of El Niño . Between December and April, tropical depressions and cyclones can cause winds to exceed a speed of 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph), with gusts of 250 kilometres per hour (160 mph) and very abundant rainfall. The last cyclone affecting New Caledonia was Cyclone Niran , in March 2021. New Caledonia has many unique taxa, especially birds and plants. It has
8880-663: The caves, including the endemic terrestrial crocodile Mekosuchus , the giant horned turtle Meiolania , and numerous bird taxa, with remains of the giant flightless Sylviornis being especially common. This New Caledonian location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about archaeology in Oceania is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . New Caledonia New Caledonia ( / ˌ k æ l ɪ ˈ d oʊ n i ə / KAL -ih- DOH -nee-ə ; French : Nouvelle-Calédonie [nuvɛl kaledɔni] )
9000-463: The coast and date back to the period between c. 1100 BC and AD 200. British explorer James Cook was one of the first Europeans to sight New Caledonia, on 4 September 1774, during his second voyage. He named it "New Caledonia ", as the northeast of the island reminded him of Scotland . The west coast of Grande Terre was approached by the Comte de Lapérouse in 1788, shortly before his disappearance, and
9120-535: The customary system. However, their jurisdiction is sharply limited in penal matters, as some matters relating to the customary justice system, including the use of corporal punishment , are seen as clashing with the human rights obligations of France. The Armed Forces of New Caledonia ( French : Forces armées de Nouvelle-Calédonie , or FANC ) include about 2,000 soldiers, mainly deployed in Koumac , Nandaï , Tontouta , Plum , and Nouméa . The land forces consist of
9240-598: The early years of the trade, coercion was used to lure Melanesian islanders onto ships. In later years indenture systems were developed; however, when it came to the French slave trade, which took place between its Melanesian colonies of the New Hebrides and New Caledonia, very few regulations were implemented. This represented a departure from contemporary developments in Australia, since increased regulations were developed to mitigate
9360-423: The enclaves for elsewhere in the Schengen Area. Small islands scattered along the northern coast of Africa, collectively known as plazas de soberanía are also integral parts of Spain since the 15th century, and therefore also part of the European Union. Their currency is the euro. They in general need permission to visit, so therefore identity is checked upon arrival. They are claimed by Morocco . When
9480-508: The end of 1987, roadblocks, gun battles and the destruction of property culminated in the Ouvéa cave hostage taking , a dramatic hostage crisis just days before the 1988 French presidential election began. Pro-independence militants on Ouvéa killed four gendarmes and took 27 hostage. The military assaulted the cave to rescue the hostages. Nineteen Kanak hostage takers were killed and another three died in custody, while two soldiers were killed during
9600-409: The entire New Caledonia. Pro-independence Kanak parties use the name (la) Kanaky ( pron. [(la) kanaki] ) to refer to New Caledonia, a term coined in the 1980s from the ethnic name of the indigenous Melanesian Kanak people who make up 41% of New Caledonia's population. New Caledonia is one of the European Union's Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) , but it is not part of
9720-609: The entire island and is accordingly available to the inhabitants of Northern Cyprus and the British sovereign base areas on the same basis as to those born in the area controlled by the Republic of Cyprus. Citizens of the Republic of Cyprus living in Northern Cyprus are EU citizens and are nominally entitled to vote in elections to the European Parliament; however, elections to that Parliament are not organised in Northern Cyprus as it
9840-546: The exceptional biodiversity of New Caledonia and its threatened status has made it one of the most critical biodiversity hotspots on Earth. In 2001, Bruno Van Peteghem was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for his efforts on behalf of the Caledonian ecological protection movement in the face of "serious challenges" from Jacques Lafleur 's RPCR party. Progress has been made in a few areas in addressing
9960-567: The failed Paris Commune of 1871, including Henri de Rochefort and Louise Michel . Between 1873 and 1876, 4,200 political prisoners were "relegated" to New Caledonia. Only 40 of them settled in the colony; the rest returned to France after being granted amnesty in 1879 and 1880. In 1864, nickel was discovered on the banks of the Diahot River ; with the establishment of the Société Le Nickel in 1876, mining began in earnest. To work
10080-527: The few countries or territories in the world with two flags. The decision to wish for the use of two flags has been a constant battleground between the two sides and led the coalition government to collapse in February 2011. The institutional organization is the result of the organic law and ordinary law passed by the Parliament on 16 February 1999. The archipelago is divided into three provinces: New Caledonia
10200-780: The freedom of establishment is limited by Article 203 TFEU and the respective Council Decision on OCTs. Its Article 51(1)(a) prescribes only that "the Union shall accord to natural and legal persons of the OCTs a treatment no less favourable than the most favourable treatment applicable to like natural and legal persons of any third country with whom the Union concludes or has concluded an economic integration agreement." Again this can be, according to Article 51(2)(b) limited. The obligations provided for in paragraph 1 of this Article shall not apply to treatment granted under measures providing for recognition of qualifications, licences or prudential measures in accordance with Article VII of
10320-467: The freedom of movement for workers and freedom of establishment, and invites them to join the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) in order to improve cooperation with the European Union. The status of an uninhabited territory, Clipperton , remains unclear since it is not explicitly mentioned in primary EU law and has a sui generis status at the national level. Collectively,
10440-490: The impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic ; when the French government declined to do so, they called for a boycott. This led to 96% of voters choosing to stay with France. In May 2024, riots broke out amid debate over a proposed electoral reform in the territory. New Caledonia is a territory sui generis to which France has gradually transferred certain powers. As such its citizens have French nationality and vote for
10560-480: The initiative of the member state concerned. Six territories of the Netherlands —all of which are Caribbean islands—have OCT status. As such, they benefit from being able to have their own export and import policy to and from the EU, while still having access to various EU funds (such as the European Development Fund ). The inhabitants of the islands are EU citizens owing to their Dutch citizenship, with
10680-539: The islands remained within the EU as outermost regions, European Commission documents listed them as being outside the European Community. The legal status of the islands was clarified on the coming into force of the Treaty of Lisbon , which listed them as an outermost region. However, Saint Barthélemy ceased being an outermost region and left the EU, to become an OCT, on 1 January 2012. The overseas countries and territories (OCT) are dependent territories that have
10800-418: The islands were they to join the EU as outermost regions. It concluded that the choice would be for the islands themselves to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of becoming part of the EU as outermost regions, and that nothing would be done absent the islands specifically requesting it. Bonaire , Sint Eustatius , and Saba (collectively called Caribbean Netherlands ) are "special municipalities" of
10920-480: The local economy, the treaty of accession allows for a concept of hembygdsrätt/kotiseutuoikeus (regional citizenship). Consequently, there are restrictions on the holding of property and real estate, the right of establishment for business purposes and limitations on who can provide services in Åland, for people not holding this status. The status may be obtained by any Finnish citizen legally resident in Åland for 5 years who can demonstrate an adequate knowledge of
11040-467: The mines the French imported labourers from neighbouring islands and from the New Hebrides, and later from Japan , the Dutch East Indies , and French Indochina . The French government also attempted to encourage European immigration, without much success. The indigenous Kanak people were excluded from the French economy and from mining work, and ultimately confined to reservations. This sparked
11160-457: The near future due to the accord, which states that "a name, a flag, an anthem, a motto, and the design of banknotes will have to be sought by all parties together, to express the Kanak identity and the future shared by all parties." To date, however, there has been no consensus on a new name for the territory, although Kanak Republic is popular among 40% of the population. New Caledonia has increasingly adopted its own symbols, choosing an anthem,
11280-593: The onward voyage to Africa. They joined the other Free French (FF) battalions in Qastina in August, before moving to the Western Desert with the 1st FF Brigade ( 1 BFL ). There they were one of the four battalions who took part in the breakout after the Battle of Bir Hakeim in 1942. Their losses could not easily be replaced from the Pacific and they were therefore amalgamated with the Frenchmen of another battalion wearing
11400-511: The outermost regions and the overseas countries and territories fall into structured categories to which common mechanisms apply, this is not true of all the special territories. 10 member state territories have ad hoc arrangements in their relationship with the EU. In those special cases, VAT rules do not apply and they may also be exempt from customs or excise rules. Åland , an autonomous archipelago belonging to Finland, but with partial autonomy, located between Sweden and Finland, with
11520-412: The outermost regions in the European Union. The outermost regions office for support and information is located in these islands, in the city of Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria . French Guiana , Guadeloupe , Martinique , Mayotte , and Réunion are five French overseas regions (which are also overseas departments) which under French law are, for the most part, treated as integral parts of
11640-503: The patrol and support vessel D'Entrecasteaux and Auguste Benebig , the lead ship of the Félix Éboué class of patrol vessels. The French Navy will further reinforce its offshore patrol capabilities in New Caledonia by deploying a second vessel of the Félix Éboué class ( Jean Tranape ) to the territory by 2025. One Engins de Débarquement Amphibie – Standards (EDA-S) landing craft
11760-663: The protection of New Caledonia's ecological diversity from fire, industrial and residential development, unrestricted agricultural activity and mining (such as the judicial revocation of INCO 's mining licence in June 2006 owing to claimed abuses). In 2008, six lagoons of the New Caledonian barrier reef , the world's longest continuous barrier reef system, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List . New Caledonia's fauna and flora derive from ancestral species isolated in
11880-442: The region when it broke away from Gondwana many tens of millions of years ago. Not only endemic species have evolved here, but entire genera, families, and even orders are unique to the islands. More tropical gymnosperm species are endemic to New Caledonia than to any similar region on Earth. Of the 44 indigenous species of gymnosperms, 43 are endemic, including the only known parasitic gymnosperm ( Parasitaxus usta ). Also, of
12000-461: The richest diversity in the world per square kilometre. The biodiversity is caused by Grande Terre's central mountain range, which has created a variety of niches, landforms and micro-climates where endemic species thrive. Largely due to its nickel industry, New Caledonia emits a high level of carbon dioxide per person compared to other countries. In 2019, it emitted 55.25 tons of CO 2 per person, compared to 4.81 for France. The combination of
12120-462: The right to vote in elections to the European Parliament. Initially they did not have voting rights for such elections, but the European Court of Justice granted them such rights, when they ruled their exclusion from the franchise was contrary to EU law, as all other Dutch citizens resident outside the EU did have the right to vote. None of the islands use the euro as their currency. The US dollar
12240-405: The southeast. The east coast is covered by a lush vegetation. The west coast, with its large savannahs and plains suitable for farming, is a drier area. Many ore-rich massifs are found along this coast. The Diahot River is the longest river of New Caledonia, flowing for some 100 kilometres (62 mi). It has a catchment area of 620 km (240 sq mi) and opens north-westward into
12360-458: The sovereign base areas would have become a de facto part of the Schengen Area if and when Cyprus implemented it. The base areas are already de facto members of the eurozone due to their previous use of the Cypriot pound and their adoption of the euro as legal tender from 2008. Because Cypriot nationality law extends to Cypriots in the sovereign base areas, Cypriot residents, as citizens of
12480-518: The sovereign base areas. The sovereign base areas' authorities also made provision for the unilateral application of directly applicable EU law. The UK also agreed in the Protocol to keep enough control of the external (i.e. off-island and northern Cyprus) borders of the base areas to ensure that the border between the sovereign base areas and the Republic of Cyprus could remain fully open and would not have to be policed as an external EU border. Consequently,
12600-475: The special territories encompass a population of some 6.1 million people and a land area of about 2,733,792 square kilometres (1,055,500 sq mi). Around 80 percent of this area is represented by Greenland . The largest region by population, the Canary Islands , accounts for more than a third of the total population of the special territories. The smallest by land area is the island of Saba in
12720-571: The territory proposed a five-year transition period and a referendum in 1989. In March 1984, the Front Indépendantiste, a Kanak resistance group, seized farms and the Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front (FLNKS) formed a provisional government. In January 1985, the French Left-wing government offered sovereignty to the Kanaks and legal protection for European settlers. The plan faltered as violence escalated. The government declared
12840-718: The territory volunteered for service overseas. They were joined, in April, by 300 men from French Polynesia ('the Tahitians'), plus a handful from the French districts of the New Hebrides: together they formed the Bataillon du Pacifique . The Caledonians formed two of the companies, and the Polynesians the other two. In May 1941, they sailed to Australia and boarded the RMS ; Queen Elizabeth for
12960-653: The time. In 1946, New Caledonia became an overseas territory. By 1953, French citizenship had been granted to all New Caledonians, regardless of ethnicity. During the late 1940s and early 1950s, New Caledonia strengthened its economic links with Australia, particularly as turmoil within France and its empire weakened New Caledonia's traditional economic links to metropolitan France; New Caledonia supplied nickel to Australia in exchange for coal vital for smelting nickel. New Caledonian exports of iron ore and timber to Australia also increased during this time period. The European and Polynesian populations gradually increased in
13080-467: The trade in the early decades of the twentieth century involved kidnapping children from the Loyalty Islands to the Grand Terre for forced labour in plantation agriculture. New Caledonia's primary experience with blackbirding revolved around a trade from the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) to the Grand Terre for labour in plantation agriculture, mines, as well as guards over convicts and in some public works. In
13200-526: The west coast in the following years. New Caledonia became a penal colony in 1864, and from the 1860s until the end of the transportations in 1897, France sent about 22,000 criminals and political prisoners to New Caledonia. The Bulletin de la Société générale des prisons for 1888 indicates that 10,428 convicts, including 2,329 freed ones, were on the island as of 1 May 1888, by far the largest number of convicts detained in French overseas penitentiaries. The convicts included many Communards , arrested after
13320-478: The years leading to the nickel boom of 1969–1972, and the indigenous Kanak Melanesians became a minority, though they were still the largest ethnic group. Between 1976 and 1988, a period referred to as "the Events" ( French : Les Événements ), conflicts between French government actions and the Kanak independence movement saw periods of serious violence and disorder. In 1983, a statute of "enlarged autonomy" for
13440-460: Was held in October 2020 , with voters once again choosing to remain a part of France. In the 2018 referendum, 56.7% of voters chose to remain in France. In the 2020 referendum, this percentage dropped with 53.4% of voters choosing to remain part of France. The third referendum was held on 12 December 2021. The referendum was boycotted by pro-independence forces, who argued for a delayed vote due to
13560-592: Was an OCT, joined the EU as an OMR with effect from 1 January 2014. The 9 Outermost Regions of the European Union are: Azores and Madeira are two groups of Portuguese islands in the Atlantic. Azores and Madeira are integral parts of the Portuguese Republic, but both have the special status as Autonomous Regions , with a degree of self-governance. Some derogations from the application of EU law apply in regards to taxation, fishing and transportation. Their VAT
13680-487: Was held on 4 October 2020. The result was that 53.26% of voters chose to remain with France. The third and last referendum permitted by the Nouméa Accord was held on 12 December 2021 , confirming New Caledonia as part of the French Republic with 96% voting "no" to independence after the vote was boycotted by the bulk of the Kanak population. The official name of the territory, Nouvelle-Calédonie , could be changed in
13800-566: Was held the following year, but independence was rejected by a large majority. Under the Nouméa Accord , signed in 1998 following a period of secessionist unrest in the 1980s and approved in a referendum , New Caledonia was granted special status. Twenty years after inception, the Nouméa Accord required an referendum on independence which was held on 4 November 2018. The result was that 56.9% of voters chose to remain with France. The Nouméa Accord required another independence referendum , which
13920-560: Was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008 for its exceptional beauty and marine biodiversity. In May 2023, there was an earthquake and tsunami in New Caledonia. This triggered a tsunami warning here as well as in other nearby countries. The climate is tropical , with a hot and humid season from November to March with temperatures between 27 and 30 °C (81 and 86 °F), and a cooler, dry season from June to August with temperatures between 20 and 23 °C (68 and 73 °F), linked by two short interstices. The tropical climate
14040-524: Was not working well within the framework of WolBES, but no recommendations were made in regards of whether a switch from OCT to OMR status would help improve this situation. The islands inherited their OCT status from the Netherlands Antilles which was dissolved in 2010 . The Netherlands Antilles were initially specifically excluded from all association with the EEC by reason of a protocol attached to
14160-630: Was replaced by a new business enterprise, " blackbirding ", a euphemism for taking Melanesian or Western Pacific Islanders from New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands, New Hebrides , New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands into slavery , indentured or forced labour in the sugarcane plantations in Fiji and Queensland by various methods of trickery and deception. Blackbirding was practised by both French and Australian traders, but in New Caledonia's case,
14280-759: Was signed in Brussels. The current chairman is Louis Mapou . The French Southern and Antarctic Lands (which also include the French Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean , and the French claim of Adélie Land ) are a disputed French Overseas Territory embodying the French claims to Antarctica but has no permanent population. It has sui generis status within France. Saint Pierre and Miquelon , Saint Barthélemy , French Polynesia , and Wallis and Futuna are overseas collectivities (formerly referred to as overseas territories) of France, while New Caledonia
14400-573: Was since then revised multiple times, and comprised—as noted by the Lisbon Treaty—25 OCTs in 2007. One of the French territories subsequently switched status from OMR to OCT ( Saint Barthélemy ), while another French territory switched from OCT to OMR ( Mayotte ). As of July 2014, there are still 13 OCTs (six with France, six with the Netherlands and one with Denmark) of which all have joined OCTA. The 13 Overseas Countries and Territories of
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