Overseas departments and territories of

France
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Territories of France (European Parliament constituency).

French overseas departments, territories and claims on Antarctica

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Jack of the Minister of Overseas France

The French Overseas Departments and Territories (French: départements d'outre-mer and
territoires d'outre-mer or DOM-TOM [dɔmtɔm][1]) (collectively: Pays et territoires d'outre-mer
(PTOM)) consist broadly of French-administered territories outside of the European continent.
These territories have varying legal status and different levels of autonomy, although all have
representation in the Parliament of France (except those with no permanent inhabitants), and the
right to vote in elections to the European Parliament. The French Overseas Departments and
Territories include island territories in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, French Guiana on
the South American coast, and several periantarctic islands as well as an extensive claim in
Antarctica. 2,685,705 people lived in the French Overseas Departments and Territories in
January 2011.[2]
From a legal and administrative standpoint, departments are very different from territories:
according to the French constitution, French laws and regulations generally apply (civil code,
penal code, administrative law, social laws, tax laws et cetera), in departments as in the
mainland. However, specific laws and regulations can be adapted to their specific situation. In
territories, the principle is the opposite: territories are governed by autonomy statutes that allow
them to make their own laws, except for some specific areas (like defense, international
relations, international trade and currency, courts and administrative law), as provided in the
autonomy statute, that are reserved to the central government and its local appointee.
Each inhabited French territory, metropolitan or overseas, is represented in both the French
National Assembly and the French Senate (which make up the French Parliament). The overseas
departments and territories are governed by local elected assemblies and by the French
Parliament and French Government (where a cabinet member, the Minister of Overseas France,
is in charge of issues related to the overseas departments and territories).

Contents
[hide]
• 1 Varying constitutional statuses
○ 1.1 Overseas departments and regions
○ 1.2 Overseas collectivities
○ 1.3 Special collectivity
○ 1.4 Overseas territories
○ 1.5 Overseas country
○ 1.6 Minor territories
• 2 Political representation in the French Parliament
○ 2.1 Representation in the National Assembly
○ 2.2 Representation in the Senate
• 3 List of French Overseas Territories
○ 3.1 Inhabited departments and collectivities
○ 3.2 Uninhabited lands
○ 3.3 Antarctica
• 4 Largest cities in overseas France
• 5 See also
• 6 References
• 7 Further reading
• 8 External links

[edit] Varying constitutional statuses

[edit] Overseas departments and regions
 • Guadeloupe (since 1946)
• Martinique (since 1946)
• French Guiana (since 1946)
• Réunion (since 1946)
• Mayotte (since 2011) 1976-2003: sui generis overseas territory; 2001-2003: with the
designation departmental community; 2003-2011: Overseas community. In the 2009
Mahoran status referendum, Mahorans voted to become an overseas department in 2011,
which occurred on March 31st, 2011.
[edit] Overseas collectivities
This category was created with the constitutional reform on 28 March 2003. Each collectivity
has its own statutory laws.
• French Polynesia (1946-2003: overseas territory), since 2003: Overseas collectivity. Its
new status of 2004 gives it the particular designation of overseas country (French: pays
d'outre-mer), but the Constitutional Council of France judged that it was just a
designation, not a particular status.
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon (1976-1985: overseas department, 1985-2003: sui generis
overseas territory, since 2003: Overseas collectivity. Saint Pierre et Miquelon is still
called collectivité territoriale de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon).
• Wallis and Futuna (1961-2003: overseas territory, since 2003: Overseas collectivity). It is
still commonly referred to as a territoire (Territoire des îles Wallis et Futuna).
• St. Martin - In 2003 the populations of St. Martin and St. Barthélemy voted in favour of
secession from Guadeloupe in order to form separate overseas collectivities of France.[3]
On February 7, 2007, the French Parliament passed a bill granting COM status to both
jurisdictions.[4] The new status took effect on 22 February 2007 when the law was
published in the Journal Officiel.[5] They remain part of the European Union, as explicitly
stated in the Treaty of Lisbon.[6]
The lands making up the French Republic, shown at the same geographic scale.
• St. Barthélemy (see the comments immediately above)
[edit] Special collectivity
New Caledonia was an overseas territory beginning in 1946, but as a result of the 1998 Nouméa
Accord, it gained a special status (statut particulier or statut original) in 1999. A New
Caledonian citizenship was established, and a gradual transfer of power from the French state to
New Caledonia itself was begun, to last from fifteen to twenty years.[7]
[edit] Overseas territories
• French Southern and Antarctic Lands (French: Terres Australes et Antarctiques
Françaises; overseas territory of France since 1956). According to law 2007-224 of
February 21, 2007, the Scattered Islands constitute the 5th district of TAAF. It is
currently the only overseas territory.
[edit] Overseas country
The status of overseas country (French: Pays d'outre-mer), projected for French Pacific
dependencies, was finally never created. The 2004 status of French Polynesia gives it this
designation, but also recalls that it belongs to the category of overseas communities. The
Constitutional Council of France confirmed that the designation of overseas country had no legal
consequences. Since New Caledonia's status has no name and since its parliament can make local
laws, it is sometimes incorrectly termed an overseas country.
[edit] Minor territories
• Clipperton Island (French: Île de Clipperton or Île de la Passion) (Spanish: Isla de la
Pasión) is a nine-square-kilometre remote coral atoll located 1,280 kilometers south-west
of Acapulco, Mexico, in the Pacific Ocean. It is held as state private property under the
direct authority of the French government, administered by the Minister of Overseas
France.
[edit] Political representation in the French Parliament
With 2,685,705 inhabitants in 2011, the French overseas departments and territories account for
4.1% of the population of the French Republic.[2] They enjoy a corresponding representation in
the two chambers of the French Parliament.
[edit] Representation in the National Assembly
In the 13th Legislature (2007–2012), the French overseas departments and territories are
represented by 22 deputies in the French National Assembly, accounting for 3.8% of the 577
deputies in the National Assembly:
• Réunion: 5 deputies
• Guadeloupe: 4 deputies
• Martinique: 4 deputies
• French Guiana: 2 deputies
• French Polynesia: 2 deputies
• New Caledonia: 2 deputies
 • Mayotte: 1 deputy
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 1 deputy
• Wallis and Futuna: 1 deputy
• Saint Barthélemy: still represented by the deputy of Guadeloupe's 4th constituency, does
not have its own deputy yet
• Saint Martin: still represented by the deputy of Guadeloupe's 4th constituency, does not
have its own deputy yet
[edit] Representation in the Senate
Since September 2008, the French overseas departments and territories are represented by 19
senators in the French Senate, accounting for 5.5% of the 343 senators in the Senate:
• Guadeloupe: 3 senators
• Réunion: 3 senators
• French Guiana: 2 senators
• French Polynesia: 2 senators
• Martinique: 2 senators
• Mayotte: 2 senators
• New Caledonia: 1 senator
• Saint Barthélemy: 1 senator
• Saint Martin: 1 senator
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 1 senator
• Wallis and Futuna: 1 senator
[edit] List of French Overseas Territories
[edit] Inhabited departments and collectivities
The 11 French Overseas Territories are :
Land area ( Location
Flag Name Capital Population Status Notes
km2)
Overseas
French 229,000 (Jan. 20 South
Cayenne 83,534 department /
Guiana 09)[8] America
region
French South
264,000 (Jan. 20 Overseas
Polynesi Papeete 4,167 Pacific
09)[9] collectivity
a Ocean
Overseas
Guadelo Basse- 404,000 (Jan. 20
1,628 department / Antilles
upe Terre 09)[8]
region
Overseas
Martiniq Fort-de- 402,000 (Jan. 20
1,128 department / Antilles
ue France 09)[8]
region
 Voted on
March 29,
2009 in
favour of
attaining
overseas
departmen
t / region
Africa
Overseas status.
Mamoud 186,452 (July 20 (Mozambi
Mayotte 374 department / That status
zou 07)[10] que
region became
Channel)
effective
on March
31st,
2011.
Also
claimed
by
Comoros
Referendu
m for
independe
nce to
New South
244,410 (Jan. 20 Sui generis collec occur
Caledoni Nouméa 18,575 Pacific
08)[11] tivity sometime
a Ocean
during the
period of
2014 to
2019.
Overseas Africa
Saint- 817,000 (Jan. 20
Réunion 2,512 department / (Indian
Denis 09)[8]
region Ocean)
Detached
from
Saint 008,450 !
Overseas Guadelou
Barthéle Gustavia 8,450 (Jan. 2007) 21 Antilles
[12] collectivity pe on 22
my
February
2007.
Detached
from
035,925 !
Saint Overseas Guadelou
Marigot 35,925 (Jan. 2007 53 Antilles
Martin collectivity pe on 22
)[12]
February
2007.
Saint Saint- 006,099 ! 242 Overseas Southeast
Pierre Pierre 6,099 (Jan. 2007) collectivity of Canada
[12]
and
Miquelo
 n
Wallis 013,484 ! South
Overseas
and Mata-Utu 13,484 (Jul. 2008 274 Pacific
collectivity
Futuna )[13] Ocean

Overall Summary
Status Population (Jan. 2011)[2] Land area (km2)
Overseas Departments / Regions 1,890,705 91,847
Overseas Collectivities & New Caledonia 795,000 23,632
Total 2,685,705 120,049
[edit] Uninhabited lands
(Lands generally uninhabited, except by researchers in scientific stations)
Flag Name Capital Land area (km2) Status Location Notes
Africa Claimed by
Banc du TAAF
- 1 (Mozambique Madagascar and
Geyser district
Channel) Comoros
Africa
Bassas da TAAF Claimed by
- 1 (Mozambique
India district Madagascar
Channel)
French
state West of Claimed by
Clipperton - 7
private Mexico Mexico
property
Crozet Alfred TAAF South Indian
352
Islands Faure district Ocean
Africa
TAAF Claimed by
Europa - 28 (Mozambique
district Madagascar
Channel)
Claimed by
Glorioso TAAF Comoros,
- 5 Indian Ocean
Islands district Madagascar and
Seychelles
Africa
Juan de TAAF Claimed by
- 5 (Mozambique
Nova district Madagascar
Channel)
Kerguelen Port-aux- TAAF South Indian
7,215
Islands Français district Ocean
Saint-Paul
Island and Martin- TAAF
66 Indian Ocean
Amsterdam de-Viviès district
Island
Tromelin TAAF Claimed by
- 1 Indian Ocean
Island district Mauritius
[edit] Antarctica
Flag Name Capital Land area (km2) Status Location Notes
Dumont Under terms of
Adélie TAAF
d'Urville 432,000 Antarctica Antarctic Treaty
Land district
Station System

[edit] Largest cities in overseas France

Ranked by population in the urban area:
• Pointe-à-Pitre–Les Abymes (Guadeloupe): 178,631 inhabitants (in 2008)
• Saint-Denis (Réunion): 175,053 (in 2008)
• Fort-de-France (Martinique): 171,628 (in 2008)
• Nouméa (New Caledonia): 163,723 (in 2009)
• Saint-Pierre (Réunion): 148,273 (in 2008)
• Papeete (French Polynesia): 131,695 (in 2007)
• Saint-Paul (Réunion): 103,008 (in 2008)
• Cayenne (French Guiana): 102,089 (in 2008)
[edit] See also
• French colonial empire
• Administrative divisions of France
• Government of France
• List of islands administered by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans
• Communes in France
• Outremer
• Metropolitan France
• Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
• List of French possessions and colony
[edit] References
1. ^ About.com, Definition of les DOM-TOM
2. ^ a b c INSEE, Government of France. "Bilan démographique 2010".
http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/document.asp?ref_id=ip1332#inter1. Retrieved 2011-01-21.
(French)
3. ^ "French Caribbean voters reject change". Caribbean Net News. 2003-12-09.
http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2003/12/09/voters.htm. Retrieved 2007-02-09. "However
voters on the two tiny French dependencies of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin, which have
been administratively attached to Guadeloupe, approved the referendum and are set to acquire the
new status of "overseas collectivity"."
4. ^ Magras, Bruno (2007-02-16). "Letter of Information from the Mayor to the residents and non-
residents, to the French and to the foreigners, of Saint Barthelemy" (PDF). St. Barth Weekly. p. 2.
 http://www.st-barths.com/jsb/pdf_files/weekly108.pdf. Retrieved 2007-02-18. "On February 7 of
this year, the French Parliament adopted the law granting Saint-Barthélemy the Statute of an
Overseas Collectivity."
5. ^ "Saint-Barth To Become An Overseas Collectivity" (PDF). St. Barth Weekly. 2007-02-09. p. 2.
http://www.st-barths.com/jsb/pdf_files/weekly107.pdf. Retrieved 2007-02-09.
6. ^ "Treaty of Lisbon, Article 2, points 287 and 293". http://eur-
lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2007:306:0042:0133:EN:PDF. Retrieved
2008-01-31.
7. ^ "Nouvelle-Calédonie," Le Petit Larousse (2010), Paris, page 1559
8. ^ a b c d INSEE, Government of France. "Population des régions au 1er janvier".
http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/tableau.asp?reg_id=99&ref_id=CMRSOS02137. Retrieved 2010-
01-30. (French)
9. ^ Institut Statistique de Polynésie Française (ISPF). "Enquêtes & Répertoires > Etat Civil".
http://www.ispf.pf/ISPF/EnqRep/EtatCivil.aspx. Retrieved 2009-09-14.
10.^ (French) INSEE, Government of France. "INSEE Infos No 32" (PDF).
http://www.insee.fr/fr/insee_regions/reunion/zoom/mayotte/publications/inseeinfos/pdf/insee
%20infos%20n32.pdf. Retrieved 2007-12-02.
11.^ (French) Institut de la statistique et des études économiques de Nouvelle-Calédonie (ISEE).
"CHIFFRES CLÉS - Démographie" (PDF). http://www.isee.nc/chiffresc/chiffresc.html#d
%C3%A9mographie. Retrieved 2009-01-13.
12.^ a b c INSEE, Government of France. "Populations légales 2007 pour les départements et les
collectivités d'outre-mer". http://www.insee.fr/fr/ppp/bases-de-donnees/recensement/populations-
legales/france-departements.asp?annee=2007. Retrieved 2010-01-30. (French)
13.^ INSEE, Government of France. "Les populations des circonscriptions du Territoire des îles
Wallis et Futuna". http://www.insee.fr/fr/themes/detail.asp?
ref_id=poplegalescom&page=recensement/poplegalescom/popcircwallisetfutuna.htm. Retrieved
2009-01-13. (French)
• Robert Aldrich and John Connell, France's Overseas Frontier, Cambridge University
Press, 1992
[edit] Further reading
• Frédéric Monera, L'idée de République et la jurisprudence du Conseil constitutionnel -
Paris : L.G.D.J., 2004 [1] [2];
[edit] External links
• Official site
• past and current developments of France's overseas administrative divisions like pays
d'outre-mer (French language)

[show]v · d · e Overseas departments and territories of France

[hide] Inhabited areas

French Guiana ·
 French Polynesia ·
St. Barthélemy · St.
Overseas collectivitiesMartin · St. Pierre
and Miquelon ·
Wallis and Futuna

Special statusNew Caledonia

[show] Uninhabited areas

Pacific Ocean Clipperton Island

Île Amsterdam · Île Saint-Paul · Crozet Islands ·

Kerguelen Islands · Adélie Land

French Southern and Banc du Geyser4 · Bassas da

Antarctic Lands Scattered islandsIndia4 · Europa Island4 ·
inGlorioso Islands3, 4, 5 · Juan de
the Indian OceanNova Island4 · Tromelin
Island5, 6

1
Also known as overseas regions. 2 Claimed by Comoros. 3 Claimed by Madagascar. 4

Claimed by Seychelles. 5 Claimed by Mauritius.

[show]v · d · eDependencies of European Union states

D
e
n
m Faroe Islands · Greenland
a
r
k

F Clipperton Island · French Polynesia · French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Adélie Land,
r Île Amsterdam, Crozet Islands, Îles Éparses, Kerguelen Islands, Île Saint-Paul) · New
a Caledonia · Saint Barthélemy · Saint Martin · Saint Pierre and Miquelon · Wallis and
n
 c
Futuna
e

U Crown dependenciesGuernsey · Isle of Man · Jersey ·

n
i Sovereign Base
t Akrotiri and Dhekelia
Areas
e
d Anguilla · Bermuda · British Antarctic Territory · British Indian
Ocean Territory · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Falkland
K Overseas territoriesIslands · Gibraltar · Montserrat · Pitcairn Islands · Saint Helena,
i Ascension and Tristan da Cunha · South Georgia and the South
n Sandwich Islands · Turks and Caicos Islands
g
d
o
m
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_departments_and_territories_of_France"
Categories: Overseas departments, collectivities and territories of France | Subdivisions of
France
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