n dialects

_#_Literacy: 91% (male 91%, female 90%) age 15 and over can
read and write (1976)

_#_Labor force: 50,469; foreign workers for plantations and mines from
Wallis and Futuna, Vanuatu, and French Polynesia (1980 est.)

_#_Organized labor: NA

_*_Government
_#_Long-form name: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies

_#_Type: overseas territory of France since 1956

_#_Capital: Noumea

_#_Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of France);
there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the
US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord,
and Sud

_#_Independence: none (overseas territory of France); note--a
referendum on independence will be held in 1998, with a review of the
issue in 1992

_#_Constitution: 28 September 1958 (French Constitution)

_#_Legal system: the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy
to the islands; formerly under French law

_#_National holiday: Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)

_#_Executive branch: high commissioner, Consultative Committee
(cabinet)

_#_Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Assembly

_#_Judicial branch: Court of Appeal

_#_Leaders:

Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May
1981);

Head of Government High Commissioner and President of the Council
of Government Bernard GRASSET (since 15 July 1988)

_#_Political parties:
white-dominated Rassemblement pour la Caledonie dans la Republique
(RPCR), conservative, Jacques LAFLEUR--affiliated to France's
Rassemblement pour la Republique (RPR);
Melanesian proindependence Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front
(FLNKS), Paul NEAOUTYINE;
Melanesian moderate Kanak Socialist Liberation (LKS), Nidoish
NAISSELINE;
National Front (FN), extreme right, Guy GEORGE;
Caledonie Demain (CD), right-wing, Bernard MARANT;
Union Oceanienne (UO), conservative, Michel HEMA;
Front Uni de Liberation Kanak (FULK), proindependence, Yann
CELENE

_#_Suffrage: universal adult at age 18

_#_Elections:

Territorial Assembly--last held 11 June 1989 (next to be held NA
1993);
results--percent of vote by party--RPCR 44.5%, FLNKS 28.5%, FN 7%, CD
5%, UO 4%, other 11%;
seats--(54 total) RPCR 27, FLNKS 19, FN 3, other 5; note--election
boycotted by FULK;

French Senate--last held 24 September 1989 (next to be
held September 1992);
results--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(1 total) RPCR 1;

French