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When did New Caledonia serve as a French penal colony?

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New Caledonia served as a French penal colony from 1864 to 1897. During this period, the French colonial administration received and controlled approximately 22,000 convicts. In addition to these prisoners, the territory also served as a place of exile for about 4,000 déportés, who were political prisoners associated with the 1871 uprising of the Paris Commune.12