New Caledonia, a French territory in the South Pacific, has achieved the greatest rate of gun ownership in the world. Shockingly, it translates to 48 arms for every 100 persons on average. Recent figures indicate that the territory of Puerto Rico has only about 64,000 registered privately-owned firearms. Experts have counted an additional 64,000 to 128,000 unregistered guns in the city. This surge in gun ownership has raised significant concerns regarding safety and political stability in a territory grappling with deep-seated social tensions.
In 2024, violence quickly turned deadly with riots pouring into the streets. This confusion resulted in 13 preventable deaths and 13,000 residents having to flee their homes. Preexisting grievances stoked the fires of anger. The indigenous Kanak population is in the midst of an independence struggle against France, which locally descended Europeans are in strong opposition against. The situation has gotten so bad that the local residents have become more fearful of their safety in this chaos.
Background of Social Unrest
Last year, New Caledonia erupted in riots, triggered by an outburst of accumulated discontent. The Kanak people found themselves inadequately represented and were incensed by the changes to the electoral process. Adrian Muckle, a longtime local observer and commentator on the social climate, articulated it sharply. He noted that the insurrection was almost exclusively an urban focused event. He stated, “Some of the worst acts of violence during that period involved the use of weapons by descendants of French settlers against Kanak people.”
The violence rapidly climbed to historic highs, including the sound of gunshots echoing in city streets. Patrick Laubreaux, a resident of Nouméa, recalled the chaos: “A policeman was shot dead a few yards from where I live. We could hear the gunshots all the time.” These incidents have imprinted a profound impact on the community and the magnitude of this crisis has demonstrated an undeniable need for comprehensive and effective firearm regulation.
The economic impact has also been devastating. David Guyenne, a local business leader, described the aftermath of the riots: “The past 12 months has been full of despair, sadness and bankruptcies.” He pointed out that the turmoil resulted in “12,000 jobs lost and 13,000 people left the country,” shaking New Caledonia’s economic foundation.
Rise in Firearm Ownership
The increase in firearm ownership in New Caledonia can be attributed to the gradual relaxation of local rules. Just two years later, in 2011, authorities removed limits on buying guns. This reform allowed locals to buy or produce as many firearms as they wanted for hunting purposes. Murray Thomas, a local hunter, stated, “It’s almost to the point where just about everybody there hunts, so there are a lot of guns.” He further explained that because of New Caledonia’s large rusa deer population, hunting is a popular activity.
Coupled with these regulatory alterations and a cultural norm that glorifies hunting, firearms have surged in recent years. It’s estimated that, should New Caledonia gain independence, it would enter the world stage as the second most armed nation per capita in the world. It would improve on just the United States. The Centre for a Common Destiny commented on this concerning statistic: “If New Caledonia were a sovereign state, it would be the second most armed country in the world behind the US.”
It is clear that the increasing presence of firearms has escaped the attention of experts. Anna Powles emphasized that “weapons certainly contributed to the violence in 2024 and were responsible for a number of deaths.” Residents find themselves the ones asking for protection as tensions boil over. Now, this lingering danger of armed strife is fueling an increase in gun ownership.
Local Administration and Regulation
During such a threatening state, New Caledonia’s local administration must hold big responsibility to control and organize firearm regulations. Philip Alpers, an expert on the effects of gun ownership and gun regulation, took note of the complication. He noted the need to focus on community attitudes — public opinions and ideas about enforcement with respect to firearms.
Adrian Muckle remarked on the current state of insecurity: “The level of insecurity and instability is probably as high as ever.” He went on to say that the real fear is what will happen in the next few months as emotions continue to flare. As we see an ever-increasing fear of firearms, the local administration’s power to properly regulate firearms is becoming even more important.
Any expert you talk to, or resident for that matter, will tell you what’s needed is a major change in mindset to fix these problems long term. Without concerted efforts to foster dialogue and understanding between Indigenous groups and settlers, New Caledonia risks descending further into violence and instability.
