Overseas territory (France)

For the Euro-constituency, see Overseas Territories of France (European Parliament constituency). For all parts of France outside of Europe, see Overseas France.

The term overseas territory (French: territoire d'outre-mer, TOM) is an administrative division of France and is currently only applied to the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.

The division differs from that of overseas department and region (French: Départements et régions d'outre-mer or DROM), but because of some common peculiarities, DOMs, TOMs and other overseas possessions under other statuses are often referred to collectively as les DOM/TOM. Unlike the British Overseas Territories, which are not constitutionally parts of the United Kingdom or its national territory, they are integral parts of the French Republic.

Former overseas territories

• New Caledonia, from 1946 to 1999, now a sui generis collectivity
• French Polynesia, from 1946 to 2003, now an overseas collectivity
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon, from 1946 to 1976 and 1985 to 2003, now an overseas collectivity
• Wallis and Futuna, from 1961 to 2003, now an overseas collectivity
• Mayotte, from 1974 to 2003, now an overseas department
• French Territory of the Afars and the Issas, from 1967 to 1977, now the independent state of Djibouti

See also

• 2009 Mahoran status referendum
• Administrative divisions of France
• Overseas collectivity
• Overseas country of France
• Overseas department and region
• Overseas France
• Special member state territories and the European Union

External links

• (in French) Official government website
• (in French) Past and current developments of France's overseas administrative divisions like DOMs and TOMs