New Caledonia and France
New Caledonia or Kanaki consists of a long main island with smaller islands northeast of Australia. It has a population of about 270,000 people.
It has been part of France since 1853, but most Kanaks (indigenous people) see no reason for it to remain one of the few remnants of the French colonial empire. They were discriminated against for a long time and did not obtain French citizenship until 1957.
Since 1988, the archipelago has enjoyed far-reaching autonomy, but France remains responsible for defence, foreign affairs, justice and higher education.
indigenous people or Kanak They make up about 40% of the population and overwhelmingly support independence. In addition, 27 percent are Kaldosh Or descendants of mainly French colonists who prefer to maintain relations with the mother country.
New Caledonia also has several nickel mines. More than a tenth of the known reserves of this ore are located in the archipelago. It is one of the largest exporters of nickel after Canada and Russia, especially to China, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
French President Emmanuel Macron is also keen to use the archipelago to emphasize France’s importance in the Pacific region. China and the United States are competing for influence in the region.
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