PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that New Caledonia will remain French, after a majority of voters in the French overseas territory voted against independence in a third and final referendum.

       "Caledonians have chosen to remain French. They decided that freely," Macron said in a televised address.

       "We can't ignore that the electorate remained deeply divided over the years. (...) A period of transition is now starting," he added.

       (Reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)