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New Caledonia

1853 – present
ColonyOceania

A French territory in Melanesia since its 1853 annexation, used as a penal colony from 1864 to 1897. Today it holds a unique 'sui generis' status within the French Republic, following an unresolved decades-long process toward possible independence.

Borders in 2026 · drawn from 1 sourced border frame
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Further reading

Sources