Loyalty Islands Province

Loyalty Islands Province Province des îles Loyauté
Flag
Coordinates: 21°04′S 167°21′E
Country	France
Collectivity	New Caledonia
Seat	Lifou
Government
• President	Néko Hnepeune (2014–2019)
Area
• Total	1,980.9 km2 (764.8 sq mi)
Population
• Total	18,297
• Density	9.2/km2 (24/sq mi)
Communities (2009)
• Kanak	96.6 %
• European	2.0%
• Multiracial	0.9%
• Wallisians and Futunans	0.1%
• Asians	0.1%
• Ni-Vanuatu	0.1%
• Other	0.1%
Website	www.province-iles.nc

The Loyalty Islands Province (French Province des îles Loyauté) is one of three administrative subdivisions of New Caledonia. The province corresponds to the Loyalty Islands, an archipelago located northeast of the New Caledonian mainland of Grande Terre.

The provincial government seat is the commune of Lifou, New Caledonia. The province's population was approximately 18,297 inhabitants (2014).

Geography and communes

The Loyalty Islands Province is divided into three communes (municipalities):

• Lifou (comprises Lifou Island, Tiga Island, and several islets)
• Maré (comprises Maré Island and Dudun Island)
• Ouvéa (comprises Ouvéa Island, Mouli Island, Faiava Island, and several nearby islands and islets)
• Walpole Island is geographically part of the Loyalty Islands, but administratively part of the commune of Île des Pins, South Province.

Provincial congress

Of 14 seats in the province's congress, the nationalist Caledonian Union holds four, the anti-independence Rally for Caledonia in the Republic holds two, and the National Union for Independence-Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front, Socialist Kanak Liberation, Renewed Caledonian Union and Union of Pro-Independence Co-operation Committees each have two.

Presidents of Loyalty Province

• 1st Richard Kaloï 1989 to 1995
• 2nd Nidoïsh Naisseline July 14, 1995 to May 9, 1999
• 3rd Robert Xowie May 14, 1999 to May 9, 2004
• 4th Néko Hnepeune May 14, 2004 to current

See also

• Politics of New Caledonia