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| New Caledonia |
A group of islands in the southwestern part of the Pacific Ocean (New Caledonia Island, Loyalty Islands, Kupi Islands, etc.). The total area is 19 thousand square meters. km. Population - about 137 thousand (1978), mainly Melanesians and French. The administrative center is Noumea (over 50 thousand inhabitants.). The official language is French. The islands were discovered by the English navigator J. Cook in 1774. Since 1853 they have belonged to France. For a long time, New Caledonia served as a place of hard labor. About 49 thousand prisoners were sent there from France, including 4 thousand Parisian communards. In 1879, the colonialists brutally suppressed the uprising of the indigenous population against French rule. New Caledonia has the status of "overseas territory" of France (since 1946), governed by a high commissioner appointed by the French government. The Commissioner has a Government Council (5 members). The population of the islands elects the Territorial Assembly, an advisory body. The main political scabs are the Unification for Caledonia (the leading party of the local bourgeoisie, advocates maintaining existing ties with France), the Caledonian Socialist Party (advocating autonomy), the Kanak Liberation Party (advocating independence). New Caledonia is represented in the French parliament by 2 members of the National Assembly and 1 senator. The basis of the economy is the mining industry (based on rich natural resources - nickel, cobalt and chromium). The island of New Caledonia has one of the world's largest nickel deposits. Nickel production in 1977 amounted to 90 thousand tons. The leading place in the development of nickel belongs to the French company "Le Nickel". There are enterprises of the metallurgical industry, for the processing of agricultural products, sawmills, furniture factories, and construction materials enterprises. Agriculture employs 70% of the self-employed indigenous population. Coconut and coffee are mainly cultivated. Agricultural production only at Uz satisfies the needs of the population. The share of France and the countries of the "franc zone" in foreign trade is about 60%. Unemployment is growing in the country due to the decline in the global market for nickel demand.
