New Caledonia Their social organization is traditionally based around clans, which identify as either "land" or "sea" clans, depending on their original location and the occupation of their ancestors. According to the 2009 census, the Kanak constitute 94% of the population in the Loyalty Islands Province, 74% in the North Province and 27% in the South Province. The Kanak tend to be of lower socio-economic status than the Europeans and other settlers. Europeans first settled in New Caledonia when France established a penal colony on the archipelago. Once the prisoners had completed their sentences, they were given land to settle. According to
University of New Caledonia University of New Caledonia The University of New Caledonia UNC ("Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie") is a French university which is part of the Academy of New Caledonia located in Nouméa. The university goes back to 1987 when the "Université Française du Pacifique" (French University of the Pacific) was created, with two centres, one in French Polynesia and the other in New Caledonia. In 1997, the decision was made to split the two parts into separate universities and so in 1999 the "Université de la Nouvelle Calédonie" and the "Université de la Polynésie Française" were created. UNC hosts around 3,000 local