French Nouvelle Calédonie
French overseas territory (pop., 2001 est.: 216,000), South Pacific Ocean.
It consists of the islands of New Caledonia and Walpole, the Isle of Pines, and several other island groups; its capital is Nouméa . The main island, New Caledonia, has rich deposits of nickel that are among the largest in the world. Excavations indicate an Austronesian presence in the area 0441; 20001000 BC. The islands were visited by Capt. James Cook in 1774 and by various navigators and traders in the 18th19th centuries. They were occupied by France in 1853 and were a penal colony from 1864 to 1894. New Caledonians joined the Free French cause of Charles de Gaulle in 1940; the islands were the site of Allied bases (194244). They became part of the French overseas territory in 1946. In 1987 residents voted by referendum to remain part of France.