New Caledonia - Administrative Divisions

Administrative Divisions

The institutional organization is the result of the organic law and ordinary law passed by the Parliament on 16 February 1999.

The archipelago is divided into three provinces:

• South Province (province Sud). Provincial capital: Nouméa. Population: 183,007 inhabitants (2009).
• North Province (province Nord). Provincial capital: Koné. Population: 45,137 inhabitants (2009).
• Loyalty Islands Province (province des îles Loyauté). Provincial capital: Lifou. Population: 17,436 inhabitants (2009).

New Caledonia is further divided into 33 municipalities: One commune, Poya, is divided between two provinces. The northern half of Poya, with the main settlement and most of the population, is part of the North Province, while the southern half of the commune, with only 127 inhabitants in 2009, is part of the South Province.