The archipelago which is named now New Caledonia is discovered byy the French explorer Bougainville.
He is followed by James Cook 1784 who names the islands New Caledonia.
France establishes in 1853 the colony of New Caledonia.
The Loyauté Islands and Wallis and Futuna are incorporated into New Caledonia in 1866 respectively 1888.
In 1946 New Caledonia becomes a French overseas territory with internal self-government.
Wallis and Futuna secede from New Caledonia in 1959 as a seperate overseas territory.
Since 1957 there are separate vice-presidents of the government council.
The first is Maurice Lenormand of the Union Calédonien (Caledonian Union), succeeded in 1959 by Michel Kauma and in 1962 by Roch Pidjot of the UC.
Between 1963 and 1977 the post is abolished.
In 1977 André Caillard of the Rassemblement pour la Calédonie dans la République (Rally for Caledonia in the Republic, RPCR) becomes vice-president, succeeded in 1978 by Maurice Lenormand of the UC.
In 1979 Dick Ukeiwé of the RCPR succeeds him and in his turn he is succeeded by Jean-Marie Tjibaou of the UC.
Ukeiwé becomes president of the government (since 1985 executive council) in 1984.
After 1988 the post is abolished again.
The party system in New Caledonia developed into a multi-party system, in which party related to metropolitan parties are actief as are seperatist parties.
The main party is the RCPR.
This party dominates the legislature and forms the government.
The main opposition party is the Front de Libération National Kanak Socialiste (Kanak Socialist National Liberation Front, FLNKS, successor of the UC).
After the new constitutional arrangements of 1998, Jean Lèques of the RPCR is elected president of New Caledonia.
He resigns in 2001 and Pierre Frogier of the RPCR becomes president in a coalition with the FLNKS and the Fédération des comités de la Coopération pour l'Indépendance (Federation of Pro-Independence Co-operation Committees, FCCI).