The
French overseas empire has undergone change and reorganization
throughout the country's history. Its current arrangement as of 2010 is
represented by four major divisions, into (I) Overseas Departments and
Regions, (II) Overseas Collectivities, (III) Sui Generis Collectivities,
and (IV) Minor Territories. They are as follows:
I. Overseas Departments
(Départements et Régions d’Outre-Mer):
(1) French Guiana
Includes: Devil’s Island, Royal Island, & St.
Joseph
(2) Guadeloupe
Includes: Grande-Terre, Basse-Terre, Marie-Galante,
Îles des Saintes, & La Désirade.
Note: Islands of St. Martin & St. Barthéleme
seceded from Guadeloupe in Feb. 2007.
(3) Martinique
(4) Réunion
Note: Formerly Île Bourbon.
II. Overseas Collectivities (Collectivités d’Outre-Mer):
(1) French Polynesia
Includes:
(a) Windward
Islands (“Îles du Vent”) of Tahiti, Mooréa, Maiao (Tubuai Manu), & unpopulated
islands of Mehetia & Tetiaroa.
(b) Leeward
Islands (“Îles sous le Vent) of Raiatéa, Tahaa, Huahine, Bora-Bora, &
Maupiti, with four small atolls of Tupai, Mopelia, Scilly, & Bellinghausen.
(a) & (b) together
are often called the
“Society Archipelago”
(Archipel de la Société)
(c) Marquesas
Islands include 6 inhabited islands of Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou, Ua Uka, Hiva Oa,
Tahuata, Fatu Hiva, & 6 smaller, uninhabited ones.
(d) Austral
or Tubuai Islands include 5 inhabited islands of Rimatara Rurutu, Tubuai,
Raivavae, & Rapa, as well as the remainder of a chain of volcanic islands
and reefs.
(e) Tuamotu
& Gambier Islands.
(2) Mayotte
Includes smaller island of Pamanzi.
(3) St. Barthélemy
(4) St. Martin
Note: The southern third of the island is part of the Netherlands
Antilles (“Sint Maarten”).
(5) St. Pierre & Miquelon
(6) Wallis & Futuna
Includes
Îles de Hoorn island group of Futuna and (uninhabited) Alofi, and the Wallis
Archipelago comprising Uvéa and a neighboring uninhabited island group and
coral reef.
III. Sui Generis Collectivities (“Collectivités Sui
Generis”):
(Note: Refers
to territories apart from other groupings.
On their own.)
(1) New
Caledonia (Nouvelle Calédonie)
Includes
(a) Grande Terre
(b) Loyalty Islands, comprising 4 large islands
of Maré, Lifou, Uvéa, & Tiga.
(c) Isle of Pines
(d) Bélep Archipelago
(e) A number of smaller, uninhabited islands.
Note: A referendum on independence is set to be
held between 2014-2018.
(2) Southern
& Antarctic Territories (“Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises”)
Includes:
(a) Amsterdam & St. Paul Islands (uninhabited
except for research stations)
(b) Crozet
Islands include western group (Apostles, Pigs, & Penguin Islands) the eastern
group, Possession, and the Eastern Islands.
(uninhabited except for research stations)
(c) Kerguelen
Islands include Grande Terre Island and 85 smaller islands. Inhabited by research station staff and
scientific personnel only.
(d) Scattered
Islands comprising Bassas da India, Europa Island, The Glorieuses Islands, Juan
de Nova Island, and Tromelin Island.
Sovereignty of individual islands is disputed, with the Comoros,
Madagascar, Mauritius, and the Seychelles all making claims.
(e) Terre
Adélie. A section of the Antarctic continent
housing a research station currently maintained by the French Institute for
Polar Research & Technology.
IV. Minor
Territories (“Dépendances”):
(1) Clipperton Island. A Pacific atoll currently uninhabited.