Overseas France

Overseas regions and departments

Overseas regions have exactly the same status as France's mainland regions. The French Constitution provides that, in general, French laws and regulations (France's civil code, penal code, administrative law, social laws, tax laws, etc.) apply to French overseas regions just as in metropolitan France, but can be adapted as needed to suit the region's particular needs. Hence, the local administrations of French overseas regions cannot themselves pass new laws.

• French Guiana (since 1946)
• Guadeloupe (since 1946)
• Martinique (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 31 March 2011.
• Réunion (since 1946)

Overseas collectivities

The category of "overseas collectivity" (French: collectivité d'outre-mer or COM) was created by France's constitutional reform of 28 March 2003. Each overseas collectivity has its own statutory laws.

In contrast to overseas departments/regions, the overseas collectivities are empowered to make their own laws, except in certain areas reserved to the French national government (such as defense, international relations, trade and currency, and judicial and administrative law). The overseas collectivities are governed by local elected assemblies and by the French Parliament and French Government, with a cabinet member, the Minister of the Overseas, in charge of issues related to the overseas territories.

• French Polynesia (1946–2003: overseas territory, since 2003: overseas collectivity) In 2004 it was given the designation of "overseas country" (French: pays d'outre-mer), but the Constitutional Council of France has clarified that this designation did not create a new political category.
• Saint Barthélemy: In 2003, Saint-Barthélemy voted to become an overseas collectivity of France. Saint-Barthélemy is not part of the European Union, having changed the status to an overseas country or territory associated with the European Union in 2012.
• Saint Martin: In 2003, the populations of Saint-Martin voted in favour of secession from Guadeloupe in order to become separate overseas collectivity of France.^[12] On 7 February 2007, the French Parliament passed a bill granting COM status to both jurisdictions.^[13] The new status took effect on 22 February 2007 when the law was published in the Journal Officiel.^[14] Saint-Martin remains part of the European Union, as stated in the Treaty of Lisbon.^[15]
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon (1976–85: overseas department, 1985–2003: sui generis overseas territory, since 2003: overseas collectivity). Despite being given the political status of "overseas collectivity", Saint Pierre et Miquelon is called collectivité territoriale de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon, literally "territorial collectivity".
• 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).

Sui generis collectivity

• New Caledonia had the status of an overseas territory from 1946 to 1998, but as of the 1998 Nouméa Accord it gained a special status (statut particulier or sui generis) in 1999. A New Caledonian citizenship was established (in addition to the French citizenship which is kept in parallel, along with the European citizenship), and a gradual transfer of power from the French state to New Caledonia itself was begun, to last from 15 to 20 years.^[16]

However, this process was subject to approval in a referendum. Three independence referendums have been held, in 2018, 2020 and 2021. In the third referendum, in December 2021, 96.5% rejected independence but the turnout was only 43.9%. In the two earlier referendums the "no" vote was 57% and 53% respectively.^[17]

The future status within France of New Caledonia will now be the subject of a further referendum that was to be held before the end of 2023^[18] but it has not yet happened as of March 2024.

Overseas territory

• French Southern and Antarctic Lands (Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises or TAAF); overseas territory of France (since 1956). It is currently the only overseas territory. According to law 2007-224 of 21 February 2007, the Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean constitute the 5th district of TAAF.

Special status

• Clipperton Island (French: Île de Clipperton or Île de la Passion; Spanish: Isla de la Pasión) is a 9 km² (3.5 sq mi) uninhabited coral atoll located 1,280 km (800 miles) south-west of Acapulco, Mexico in the Pacific Ocean. It is held as an overseas "state private property" under the direct authority of the French government, and is administered by France's Minister of the Overseas ("private" in this context refers to official restrictions on access, rather than private ownership per se).

With 2,834,000 inhabitants in 2024, overseas France accounts for 4.1% of the population of the French Republic.^[6] They enjoy a corresponding representation in the two chambers of the French Parliament and in the 16th legislature of the French Fifth Republic (2022-2027) overseas France is represented by 27 deputies in the French National Assembly, accounting for 4.7% of the 577 deputies in the National Assembly:

• Réunion: 7
• Guadeloupe: 4
• Martinique: 4
• French Polynesia: 3
• French Guiana: 2
• Mayotte: 2
• New Caledonia: 2
• Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin: 1
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 1
• Wallis and Futuna: 1

Senate (France)

Since September 2011, overseas France has been represented by 21 senators in the French Senate, accounting for 6.0% of the 348 senators in the Senate:

• Réunion: 4
• Guadeloupe: 3
• French Guiana: 2
• French Polynesia: 2
• Martinique: 2
• Mayotte: 2
• New Caledonia: 2
• Saint Barthélemy: 1
• Saint Martin: 1
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 1
• Wallis and Futuna: 1

European Parliament (European Union)

The territories used to be collectively represented in the European Parliament by the Overseas Territories of France constituency. Since the 2019 European elections, France decided to switch to a single constituency, putting an end to all regional constituencies, including the Overseas Territories constituency.^{[citation needed]}

Council (European Union)

The special territories of EU member states are not separately represented in the EU Council. Every member state represents all its citizens in the council.

Inhabited collectivities and departments/regions

The eleven inhabited French overseas territories are:

Flag[note 4]	Name	Capital	Population	Area (km2)	Population Density (inh. per km2)	Status	UN Continental Region	UN Geographical Subregion	Location	Notes
	French Guiana	Cayenne	295,385 (Jan. 2024)[7]	83,534[19]	3.5	Overseas department/region	Americas	South America	The Guianas
	French Polynesia	Papeete	279,020 (Jan. 2023)[8]	3,521[20]	79	Overseas collectivity/country	Oceania	Polynesia	South Pacific Ocean
	Guadeloupe	Basse-Terre	378,561 (Jan. 2024)[7]	1,628[19]	233	Overseas department/region	Americas	Caribbean	Leeward Islands
	Martinique	Fort-de-France	349,925 (Jan. 2024)[7]	1,128[19]	310				Windward Islands
	Mayotte	Mamoudzou	320,901 (Jan. 2024)[7]	374[20]	858		Africa	Eastern Africa	Comoro Islands	Voted on 29 March 2009, in favour of attaining overseas department / region status. That status became effective on March 31, 2011. Also claimed by the Comoros.
	New Caledonia	Nouméa	268,510 (Jan. 2023)[9]	18,575.5[21]	14.5	Sui generis collectivity	Oceania	Melanesia	South Pacific Ocean	Independence referendums occurred on 4 November 2018 (56.4% voting against and 43.6% voting in favor), as well as on 4 October 2020 (53.3% voting against and 46.7% voting in favor). A third and final one held in December 2021 rejected independence (96.5% voting against and 3.5% voting in favor).[22]
	Réunion	Saint Denis	885,700 (Jan. 2024)[7]	2,504[19]	354	Overseas department/region	Africa	Eastern Africa	Mascarene Islands
	Saint Barthélemy	Gustavia	10,585 (Jan. 2020)[10]	25[note 5][23]	423	Overseas collectivity	Americas	Caribbean	Leeward Islands	Detached from Guadeloupe on 22 February 2007.
	Saint Martin	Marigot	32,358 (Jan. 2020)[10]	53[24]	610
	Saint Pierre and Miquelon	Saint Pierre	6,092 (Jan. 2020)[10]	242[20]	25		North America	Northern America	Gulf of St. Lawrence
	Wallis and Futuna	Mata Utu	11,151 (Jul. 2023)[11]	142[20]	79		Oceania	Polynesia	South Pacific Ocean

Uninhabited overseas territories

Several of these territories are generally only transiently inhabited by researchers in scientific stations.

Flag	Name	TAAF District	Island	Capital	Area (km2)	Status	Location	Notes
	Clipperton Island	–	–	–	2[25]	Overseas state private property	North Pacific Ocean
	French Southern and Antarctic Lands	Adélie Land		Dumont d'Urville Station	432,000[26]	Overseas territory	Antarctica	Under the terms of the Antarctic Treaty.
		Crozet Islands		Alfred Faure	340[26]		Indian Ocean
		Kerguelen Islands		Port-aux-Français	7,215[26]			Population: 45 researchers in winter, 110 in summer.
		Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands	Amsterdam Island	Martin-de-Viviès	66[26]
			Saint Paul Island
		Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean	Banc du Geyser	Saint Pierre, Réunion	0		Mozambique Channel	Claimed by the Comoros and Madagascar.
			Bassas da India		1[26]			Claimed by Madagascar.
			Europa Island		30[26]
			Glorioso Islands		7[26]		Indian Ocean	Claimed by the Comoros and Madagascar.
			Juan de Nova Island		5[26]		Mozambique Channel	Claimed by Madagascar.
			Tromelin Island		1[26]		Indian Ocean	Claimed by Mauritius.

Map

Photo gallery

• 
  Saint-Pierre, Saint Pierre and Miquelon
• 
  Cayenne, French Guiana
• 
  Marigot, Saint Martin
• 
  Guadeloupe
• 
  Martinique
• 
  Saint Barthélemy
• 
  Mont Choungui, Mayotte
• 
  Réunion
• 
  Île de l'Est, Crozet Islands, French Southern and Antarctic Lands
• 
  New Caledonia
• 
  Wallis Island, Wallis and Futuna
• 
  Bora Bora, French Polynesia
• 
  Clipperton Island

Ranked by population in the metropolitan area:

• Fort-de-France (Martinique): 347,170 inhabitants (in 2020)
• Saint Denis (Réunion): 315,080 (in 2020)
• Pointe-à-Pitre–Les Abymes (Guadeloupe): 312,630 (in 2020)
• Saint Pierre–Le Tampon (Réunion): 222,614 (in 2020)
• Nouméa (New Caledonia): 182,341 (in 2019)
• Saint Paul (Réunion): 171,109 (in 2020)
• Cayenne (French Guiana): 151,887 (in 2020)
• Papeete (French Polynesia): 138,861 (in 2022)

• 2009 Mahoran status referendum
• Administrative divisions of France
• Communes of France
• French colonial empire
• Government of France
• List of French possessions and colonies
• List of islands administered by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans
• Metropolitan France
• Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
• Outre-mer
• Overseas collectivity
• Overseas department and region
• Overseas military bases of France
• Overseas Territories of France (European Parliament constituency)
• Overseas territory
• Special member state territories and the European Union
• Volontaire Civil à l'Aide Technique
• French claims in Jerusalem:
  • Church of the Pater Noster
  • Benedictine monastery in Abu Ghosh
  • Tombs of the Kings
  • Church of Saint Anne

• Robert Aldrich and John Connell, France's Overseas Frontier, Cambridge University Press, 1992.
• Frédéric Monera, L'idée de République et la jurisprudence du Conseil constitutionnel, Paris: L.G.D.J., 2004.

• Official website
• Overseas France at Curlie