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New Caledonia (France, Overseas Pays)

Nouvelle-Calédonie

French national flag - Image by Željko Heimer

Status of the flag

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Status of the flag

The only official flag in New Caledonia is the French national flag.

Ivan Sache, 18 February 2005

The present status of the territory allows local emblems to be displayed with the emblem and symbols of the French Republic, like in French Polynesia.

On 21 April 1998, an agreement was announced which will give the territory greater autonomy. The territory will have its own government and more power than today and what other Frenc Overseas Territories have. This agreement will be ratified by Prime Minister Lionel Jospin during his next visit to New Caledonia. A referendum on the agreement will be held this year (1998).
New Caledonia will be still part of the French Republic. New Caledonia will be able to act in every matter, except justice, police, defense, money and foreign affairs, the last being shared with the French government. At the end of the year, the referendum on ratification will be held. Within 15-20 years, if people wish to have a territory with the competence in the matters of justice, etc. the territory will become an independent state. If not, the local Parliament can hold two other referendums and if the people still do not wish this, then the territory will remain French forever.
According to Le Monde, New Caledonia will have its own identity symbols, such as a name, flag, anthem, currency and a graphism for its banknotes, which "should be created in common to express the Kanak identity and the future shared by all". The name of the country can be put on identity documents as well.

Pascal Vagnat, 23 April 1998