L'Île-des-Pins 4510790 199651547 2008-03-20T19:04:50Z Markussep 96340 from GNS {{French commune|nomcommune=L'Île-des-Pins| caption=Baie de Saint-Joseph in L'Île-des-Pins.| image=[[Image:Nouméa Ile des Pins Saint Joseph.JPG|280px]]| province=[[South Province, New Caledonia|South Province]] | map_size=300px| adjustable_map =ile-des-pins.PNG| mapcaption=Location of the commune (in red) within New Caledonia| lat_long=| insee=98809| cp=98832| maire=[[Hilarion Vendegou]]<br>|mandat=| longitude=167.5|latitude=-22.62| alt moy=20 m|alt mini=0 m|alt maxi=262 m| km²= 152.3| sans=1,840| date-sans=2004 census| ethnic=[[Kanak]]s 93.9%<br>[[European ethnic groups|European]]s 4.9%<br>[[Polynesia]]ns 0.7%<br>Other 0.5%|date-ethnic=1996 census| dens=12.1|date-dens=2004 census|}} '''L'Île-des-Pins''' is a [[commune in France|commune]] in the [[South Province, New Caledonia|South Province]] of [[New Caledonia]], an overseas territory of [[France]] in the [[Pacific Ocean]]. L'Île-des-Pins is made up of the [[Isle of Pines, New Caledonia|Isle of Pines]], the smaller [[Kôtomo Island]], and several [[islet]]s around these two. The Isle of Pines and adjacent islands are located to the south of New Caledonia's mainland. The settlement of [[Vao]], on the Isle of Pines, is the administrative centre of the commune of L'Île-des-Pins. L'Île-des-Pins is one of the main tourist attractions in New Caledonia. The Isle of Pines itself is nicknamed ''l'île la plus proche du paradis'' ("the closest island to Paradise"). L'Île-des-Pins can be reached by boat or plane from [[Nouméa]], the capital of New Caledonia. It is renowned for the intense blue colors of its waters and for the ancient pine tree groves spread throughout the Isle of Pines and the neighboring islands. After the [[Paris Commune]] (1871), about 2,800 Parisian insurgents were deported to L'Île-des-Pins, a part of whose territory was turned into a penal settlement where the convicts lived for several years. In [[2005]] L'Île-des-Pins gained national attention when season 5 of French [[reality television|reality show]] [[Les Aventuriers de Koh-Lanta]] ("The Adventurers of Koh Lanta"), the French version of [[Survivor (TV series)|Survivor]], was set on several small islands off the Isle of Pines. ==External links== * [http://www.ulivewhere.com/islands/isleofpines/isleofpinesdownload.html Audio interview (in English) with Isle of Pines resident available at ULiveWhere.com] *[http://www.janeresture.com/newcal/pines.htm Jane's Isle of Pines Page] *[http://www.air-caledonie.nc/fr/iledespins_gd.htm Map of L'Île-des-Pins] {{Administrative divisions of New Caledonia}} [[Category:Communes of New Caledonia]] {{NewCaledonia-geo-stub}} [[fr:Île des Pins]]