high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
Territorial Congress elected by the members of the congress

Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres
Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial
Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to
serve six-year terms)
elections: last held 9 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 2001)
election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR
22, FLNKS 12, UNCT 9, UNI 5, DEPCA 2, FN 2, RCF 2, and other 2
note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections
last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001);
results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR 1; New
Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly;
elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002);
results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR 2

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel

Political parties and leaders: Progressive Melanesian Union or
POSTIC]; Union des Synicates de Travailleurs Kanaks Exploites or
Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR is a coalition of 5 parties: Union

International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ,
ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of
France)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory
of France)

Flag description: three horizontal bands, blue (top), red, and
green, with a yellow disk enclosing a black symbol centered to the
hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions

Economy

Economy--overview: New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's
known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered
because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal
source of export earnings. Only a negligible amount of the land is
suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 25% of
imports. In addition to nickel, financial support from France and
tourism are key to the health of the economy. Performance in 1998
was hampered by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and
by lower expected prices for nickel.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$2.1 billion (1996 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: NA%

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$11,400 (1996 est.)