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
New Caledonia Rugby Committee New Caledonia Rugby Committee The New Caledonia Rugby Committee (French: "Comité de Rugby de Nouvelle Calédonie", —or officially: "Comité Régional de Rugby de Nouvelle Calédonie") is a committee under the umbrella of the French Rugby Federation which is the governing body for rugby union within New Caledonia. It is a full member of the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU), which is the governing body for rugby union in Oceania, but it is not affiliated with the International Rugby Board (IRB) in its own right. The New Caledonia 15-a-side team has competed at the South Pacific Games, winning a silver