French Overseas Possessions Travel Guide - Overview

Scattered throughout the world are several French Départements d’Outre-Mer (DOM, overseas departments), Territoires d’Outre-Mer (TOM, overseas territories), Collectivités Territoriales and one overseas country (New Caledonia). The following DOM-TOM all have their own sections in the World Travel Guide: French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, Réunion and Tahiti. Basic information is given here on the others. Further information on all of the French Overseas Possessions can be obtained from French embassies; see France section.

French Overseas Departments:
There are four Départements d’Outre-Mer, each one an integral part of the French Republic. Guadeloupe (also including the islands of St Martin and St Barthélemy) and Martinique are in the Caribbean. French Guiana is on the northwest coast of South America. Réunion is in the Indian Ocean. Despite the greater autonomy achieved with the formation of their own individual Regional Councils in 1974, each French Overseas Department still returns elected representatives to the Senate and National Assembly in Paris, as well as to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

French Overseas Territories:
Like the French Overseas Departments, the three Territoires d’Outre-Mer are integral parts of the French Republic. Tahiti (French Polynesia) is in the central South Pacific and, although it has been a French territory since 1946, it received autonomous status in 1996. French Southern and Antarctic Territories are located in the Southern Indian Ocean and the Wallis and Futuna Islands are located in the southwest Pacific. However, each one is administered by an appointed representative of the French government, and the level of autonomy is restricted.

Overseas Collectivités Territoriales:
There are two Overseas Collectivités Territoriales that have a status in between that of an Overseas Department and an Overseas Territory. Mayotte is located off the northwest coast of Madagascar and St-Pierre et Miquelon are found near Newfoundland, Canada. They are integral parts of the French Republic and are administered by a Prefect appointed by the French government.

French Overseas Country:
New Caledonia, located in the South Pacific, east of Australia and formerly an Overseas Territory, became the only Overseas Country in 1999 following the Nouméa Accord in 1998. The French government is represented in New Caledonia by the high commissioner and two deputies are also elected to the National Assembly in Paris.