Independent Commune of Franceville Commune Indépendante de Franceville (French) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1889–1890 | |||||||||
 Flag | |||||||||
 1905 map of New Hebrides, still showing Franceville as alternative name for Port Vila | |||||||||
| Status | Unrecognized state | ||||||||
| Common languages | French, Bislama | ||||||||
| Government | Republic | ||||||||
• 1889 | Ferdinand Chevillard | ||||||||
• 1890? | R. D. Polk | ||||||||
| Deputy (legislator) | |||||||||
• 1889–1890 | Comte Maurice de Nolhac | ||||||||
| Historical era | New Imperialism | ||||||||
• Established | August 9 1889 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | June 1890 | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1889 | 540 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
Franceville (present-day Port Vila) was a municipality located on Efate, or Sandwich Island. It was established in 1889 in order to gain basic legal status, during the period when the New Hebrides was a neutral territory under the loose jurisdiction of the Anglo-French Joint Naval Commission.