The French territory of New Caledonia voted against independence from France in a referendum held recently.
The referendum was a part of a decolonisation plan agreed in 1998, known as the Noumea Accord.
New Caledonia is an archipelago and special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean.
The indigenous Kanaks represent around 39% of the population, while European settlers (known as Caldoches) make up about 27%.
New Caledonia has deep divisions between its indigenous Kanak population and Europeans, with indigenous Kanaks favouring independence and Europeans being against it.
History
New Caledonia was discovered in 1774 by the British navigator James Cook.
It was annexed by France in 1853.
In 1946, New Caledonia became an overseas territory.
By 1953, French citizenship had been granted to all New Caledonians, regardless of ethnicity.