The term overseas territory (French: territoire d'outre-mer or 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.[1]
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