  We introduce an explicit form of the multi-instanton weight including also
instanton--anti-instanton interactions for arbitrary $N_c$ in the
two-dimensional $CP^{N_c-1}$ model. To that end, we use the parametrization of
multi-instantons in terms of instanton `constituents' which we call `zindons'
for short. We study the statistical mechanics of zindons analytically (by means
of the Debye-H\"uckel approximation) and numerically (running a Metropolis
algorithm). Though the zindon parametrization allows for a complete `melting'
of instantons we find that, through a combination of dynamical and purely
geometric factors, a dominant portion of topological charge is residing in
well-separated instantons and anti-instantons.
