new caledonia island
ADSENSE CODE #3
Why is New Caledonia a French island?
French territory since 1853
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/nc.html
because…
The island was made a French possession in late 1853, a part of an attempt by Napoleon III to rival the British colonies in Australia and New Zealand. Following the example set by the United Kingdom in parts of nearby Australia, between 1864 and 1922, France sent a total of 22,000 convicted felons to penal colonies along the south-west coast of New Caledonia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_New_Caledonia#History
apparently the British just gave up trying to claim the island in 1853:
In 1843 French missionaries arrived at the island, and it was claimed for France, but on British representations the claim was renounced. In 1851 a landing party from a French vessel lying at Balade was attacked by the natives, and massacred with the exception of a single member. France was now determined on the annexation, and the flag was raised at the same spot in 1853, but simultaneously the commanderof a British vessel was in negotiation with the native chief of the Isle of Pines, and the British flag was hoisted there. The chief, however, subsequently sided with the French, and the British claim was finally withdrawn.
http://www.historyofnations.net/oceania/newcaledonia.html
Boys Over Flowers Trip to New Caledonia, Macau & Jeju Island
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