Isle of Pines (New Caledonia) Isle of Pines (New Caledonia) The Isle of Pines (; name in Kanak language Kwênyii: ') is an island located in the Pacific Ocean, in the archipelago of New Caledonia, an overseas collectivity of France. The island is part of the commune (municipality) of L'Île-des-Pins, in the South Province of New Caledonia. The Isle of Pines is nicknamed ' ("the closest island to Paradise"). The island is around and measures by . It lies southeast of Grande Terre, New Caledonia's main island and is southeast of the capital Nouméa. There is one airport (code ILP) with a runway. The Isle
Biodiversity of New Caledonia modern groups such as the Compositae, Gramineae, Labiatae and Melastomataceae. The groups of Gondwanan origin are the most remarkable flora and include Cunoniaceae, Proteaceae and Myrtaceae. The family of Cunoniaceae has six genera in New Caledonia. "Pancheria" and "Codia" are endemic, although the last is known as a fossil in Australia, while "Cunonia" has 23 endemic species in New Caledonia and one species in South Africa. The other three genera have a Papuan-Australian ("Acsmithia"), Australian ("Geissois") and sub-Antarctic ("Weinmannia") distribution. Proteaceae's two main centers of dispersion are in Australia and Southern Africa; the family is represented in the archipelago by