Overseas France: Difference between revisions

'''Overseas France''' ({{lang-fr|France d'outre-mer}}, also ''{{lang|fr|France ultramarine''}}){{NoteTag|Also ''{{lang|fr|les Outre-mer''}}, ''{{lang|fr|les outre-mers''}}, or, colloquially, ''{{lang|fr|les DOM-TOM''}} (''{{lang|fr|départements d'outre-mer et territoires d'outre-mer''}}) or ''{{lang|fr|les DROM-COM''}} (''{{lang|fr|départements et régions d'outre-mer et collectivités d'outre-mer''}}).}} consists of 13 [[France|French]] territories outside [[Europe]], thatmostly havethe theirremnants origins inof the [[French colonial empire]]. Those that haveremained thea statuspart of overseasthe departmentsFrench arestate consequentlyunder various statuses after [[decolonisation]]. Most, but not all, are part of the [[European Union]].

"Overseas France" is a collective name; while used in everyday life in France, it is not an administrative designation in its own right. Instead, the five [[Overseas departments and regions of France|overseas regions]] have exactly the same [[Administrative divisions of France|administrative status]] as the thirteen [[Metropolitan France|metropolitan]] regions; the five [[Overseas collectivity|overseas collectivities]] are semi-autonomous; and [[New Caledonia]] is an autonomous territory. Overseas France includes island territories in the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]], [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] and [[Indian Ocean]]s, [[French Guiana]] on the [[South America]]n continent, and several [[list of Antarctic and Subantarctic islands|peri-Antarctic islands]] as well as a claim in [[Antarctica]]. Excluding the district of [[Adélie Land]], where French sovereignty is effective ''de jure'' by French law, but where the French exclusive claim on this part of [[Antarctica]] is frozen by the [[Antarctic Treaty System|Antarctic Treaty]] (signed in 1959), overseas France covers a land area of {{convert|120396|km2|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Larousse |first=Éditions |title=Encyclopédie Larousse en ligne -– France d'outre-mer |url=http://www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie/autre-region/France_d_outre-mer/136636 |access-date=2022-10-02 |website=www.larousse.fr |language=fr}}</ref> and accounts for 18.0% of the French Republic's land territory.<ref name="French_Republic">Land area of the four old overseas departments ([https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2864136#consulter]), Mayotte, the overseas collectivities, and New Caledonia ([https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/fichier/2045658/my_oldcol_01.pdf page 21]), the French Southern and Antarctic Lands and the Scattered Islands ([http://observatoire-outre-mer.interieur.gouv.fr/site/layout/set/print/content/download/166/1067/file/Tdb_TAAF_Novembre17.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180619190042/http://observatoire-outre-mer.interieur.gouv.fr/site/layout/set/print/content/download/166/1067/file/Tdb_TAAF_Novembre17.pdf|date=19 June 2018}}), and Clipperton ([http://agriculture.gouv.fr/telecharger/44764?token=428075c480768259a6a7d05a971137ea] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305145908/https://agriculture.gouv.fr/telecharger/44764?token=428075c480768259a6a7d05a971137ea|date=5 March 2020}}).</ref> Its [[exclusive economic zone]] (EEZ) of {{convert|9825538|km2|abbr=on}} accounts for 96.7% of the EEZ of the [[France|French Republic]].<ref name="searoundus">{{cite web |url=http://www.seaaroundus.org/data/#/eez.aspx |title=Sea Around Us – Fisheries, Ecosystems and Biodiversity |access-date=20 June 2018}}</ref>

The category of "overseas collectivity" ([[French language{{lang-fr|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.

* [[French Polynesia]] (1946–2003: overseas territory,; since 2003: overseas collectivity): In 2004 it was given the designation of "[[overseas country of France|overseas country]]" ({{lang-fr|pays d'outre-mer}}), but the [[Constitutional Council (France)|Constitutional Council of France]] has clarifiedruled that this designation did not create a new political category.

* [[Collectivity of Saint Martin|Saint Martin]]: In 2003, the populations of Saint-Martina [[2003 Guadeloupean autonomy referendum|voted2003 referendum]], Saint Martin voted in favour of secession from Guadeloupe in order to become separate overseas collectivity of France.<ref>{{cite news |title = French Caribbean voters reject change |url = http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2003/12/09/voters.htm |work = Caribbean Net News |date=9 December 2003 |access-date=9 February 2007 |quote = However, voters in the two tiny French dependencies of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin, which have been administratively attached to Guadeloupe, approved the referendum and are set to acquire the new status of "overseas collectivity". |url-status=dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090318194043/http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2003/12/09/voters.htm |archive-date=18 March 2009 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> On 7 February 2007, the [[French Parliament]] passed a bill granting [[Overseas collectivity|COM status]] to both jurisdictions.<ref>{{cite news |first=Bruno |last=Magras |title=Letter of Information from the Mayor to the residents and non-residents, to the French and to the foreigners, of Saint Barthelemy |url = http://www.st-barths.com/jsb/pdf_files/weekly108.pdf |publisherwork=St. Barth Weekly |page=2 |date=16 February 2007 |access-date=18 February 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522174522/http://www.st-barths.com/jsb/pdf_files/weekly108.pdf |archive-date=22 May 2019 |url-status=dead |quote=On 7 February of this year, the French Parliament adopted the law granting Saint-Barthélemy the Statute of an Overseas Collectivity. }}</ref> The new status took effect on 22 February 2007, when the law was published in the ''[[Journal officiel de la République française|Journal Officiel]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Saint-Barth To Become An Overseas Collectivity |url=http://www.st-barths.com/jsb/pdf_files/weekly107.pdf |publisherwork=St. Barth Weekly |page=2 |date=9 February 2007 |access-date=9 February 2007}}</ref> Saint- Martin remains part of the [[European Union]], as stated in the [[Treaty of Lisbon]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:C:2007:306:0042:0133:EN:PDF|title=Treaty of Lisbon, Article 2, points 287 and 293|access-date=31 January 2008}}</ref>

* [[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 {{lang|fr|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 {{lang|fr|territoire}} ({{lang|fr|Territoire des îles Wallis et Futuna}}).

=== ''Sui generis'' collectivity ===

However, this process was subject to approval in a referendum. Three independence referendums have been held, in [[2018 New Caledonian independence referendum|2018]], [[2020 New Caledonian independence referendum|2020]] and 2021. In Atthe first two referendums, the "yes" vote was 43.3% and 46.7% respectively. In the [[2021 New Caledonian independence referendum|third referendum]] inof December 2021, 96.5%massively rejectedboycotted independenceby withthe anative turnout[[Kanak ofpeople|Kanak 43.9%.community]], which Inrepresent the42% twoof earlierthe referendumspopulation, the "noyes" vote was 573.5%, and 53%,with respectivelya turnout of 43.9%. <ref>{{cite news |title=Final results of New Caledonia referendum shows most voters stayed away |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/final-results-new-caledonia-referendum-shows-most-voters-stayed-away-2021-12-13/ |access-date=13 December 2021 |publisher=Reuters |date=13 December 2021}}</ref> <ref>Répartition des suffrages exprimés lors des référendums sur l'indépendance de la Nouvelle-Calédonie en 2018, 2020 et 2021, [https://fr.statista.com/statistiques/939659/nouvelle-caledonie-resultats-referendum/], Statista. </ref>

With 2,834,000 inhabitants in 2024, overseas France accounts for 4.1% of the population of the French Republic.<ref name="French_Republic_2" /> They enjoy a corresponding representation in the two chambers of the [[French Parliament]] and, in the [[16th legislature of the French Fifth Republic]] (2022-20272022–2027), overseas France is represented by 27 deputies in the [[National Assembly (France)|French National Assembly]], accounting for 4.7% of the 577 deputies in the National Assembly:

* [[RéunionGuadeloupe]]: 7 4

* [[GuadeloupeMartinique]]: 4

* [[MartiniqueFrench Polynesia]]: 4 3

* [[French PolynesiaGuiana]]: 3 2

* [[French GuianaMayotte]]: 2

* [[MayotteNew Caledonia]]: 2

* [[Saint Barthélemy]]Pierre and [[Collectivity of Saint Martin|Saint MartinMiquelon]]: 1

* [[Saint PierreWallis and MiquelonFutuna]]: 1

* [[RéunionGuadeloupe]]: 43

* [[GuadeloupeFrench Guiana]]: 3 2

* [[French GuianaPolynesia]]: 2

* [[French PolynesiaMartinique]]: 2

* [[MartiniqueMayotte]]: 2

* [[MayotteNew Caledonia]]: 2

* [[NewSaint CaledoniaBarthélemy]]: 2 1

* [[Collectivity of Saint BarthélemyMartin|Saint Martin]]: 1

* [[CollectivitySaint ofPierre Saint Martin|Saintand MartinMiquelon]]: 1

* [[Saint PierreWallis and MiquelonFutuna]]: 1