The French Pacific territory of New Caledonia voted in an independence referendum on Sunday to remain part of France in what President Emmanuel Macron welcomed as a “historic step”.

More than 80 per cent of the nearly 175,000 registered voters cast ballots despite a call to boycott the poll by some leaders of indigenous Kanak separatist groups. Some 56.4 per cent voted to stay French and 43.6 for independence.

Mr Macron said he was “proud that the majority of Caledonians have chosen France,” but separatist leaders also welcomed the result as a victory because the vote for independence was higher than predicted by opinion polls.

Tensions had risen ahead of the vote and more than 1,000 gendarmes were deployed to maintain order. The carrying of firearms and the sale of alcohol were banned during the weekend.

Political leaders warned of possible violence by disappointed Kanak youths as several cars were burned in the hours following the announcement of the result.

The vote in the archipelago east of Australia polarised its nearly 270,000 inhabitants along ethnic lines, pitting indigenous Kanaks who mostly favoured independence against white and south-east Asian settlers.