List of dependent territories
This is a list of dependent territories and other dependencies.
Inhabited
- Akrotiri and Dhekelia: UK sovereign bases on the island of Cyprus; administered by the Ministry of Defense
- American Samoa: unincorporated and unorganized territory of the US; administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
- Anguilla: overseas territory of the UK
- Aruba: part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
- Bermuda: overseas territory of the UK
- British Virgin Islands: overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing
- Cayman Islands: overseas territory of the UK
- Christmas Island: territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
- Cook Islands: self-governing in free association with New Zealand; Cook Islands is fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense, in consultation with the Cook Islands
- Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas): overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina
- Faroe Islands: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948
- French Guiana: overseas department of France
- French Polynesia: overseas territory of France since 1946
- Gibraltar: overseas territory of the UK
- Greenland: part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1979
- Guadeloupe: overseas department of France
- Guam: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
- Guernsey: British crown dependency
- Hong Kong: special administrative region of China
- Jersey: British crown dependency
- Macau: special administrative region of China
- Isle of Man: British crown dependency
- Martinique: overseas department of France
- Mayotte: territorial collectivity of France
- Montserrat: overseas territory of the UK
- Netherlands Antilles: part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
- New Caledonia: overseas territory of France since 1956
- Niue: self-governing in free association with New Zealand since 1974; Niue fully responsible for internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defense; however, these responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised at the request of the Government of Niue
- Norfolk Island: territory of Australia; Canberra administers Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island through the Department of Environment, Sport, and Territories
- Northern Mariana Islands: commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs
- Pitcairn Islands: overseas territory of the UK
- Puerto Rico: commonwealth associated with the US
- Réunion: overseas department of France
- Saint Helena: overseas territory of the UK
- Saint-Pierre and Miquelon: self-governing territorial collectivity of France
- Svalbard: territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice, through a governor (sysselmann) residing in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen; by treaty (9 February 1920) sovereignty was awarded to Norway
- Tokelau: self-administering territory of New Zealand; note - Tokelauans are drafting a constitution and developing institutions and patterns of self-government as Tokelau moves toward free association with New Zealand
- Turks and Caicos Islands: overseas territory of the UK
- U.S. Virgin Islands: organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
- Wallis and Futuna: overseas territory of France
Stationed personnel
These islands have no indigenous population, though there are personnel stationed year-round.
- British Indian Ocean Territory: overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
- Coral Sea Islands: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories
- Europa Island: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
- French Southern and Antarctic Lands: overseas territory of France since 1955; administered from Paris by Administrateur Superieur Francois GARDE (since 24 May 2000), assisted by Secretary General Jean-Yves Hermoso
- Glorioso Islands: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
- Jan Mayen: territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service
- Johnston Atoll: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Honolulu, HI, by Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, and the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
- Juan de Nova Island: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
- Midway Islands: unincorporated territory of the US; formerly administered from Washington, DC, by the US Navy, under Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific Division; this facility has been operationally closed since 10 September 1993; on 31 October 1996, through a presidential executive order, the jurisdiction and control of the atoll was transferred to the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
- Palmyra Atoll: incorporated territory of the US; privately owned, but administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior; the Office of Insular Affairs of the US Department of the Interior continues to administer nine excluded areas comprising certain tidal and submerged lands within the 12 NM territorial sea or within the lagoon
- South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands: overseas territory of the UK, also claimed by Argentina; administered from the Falkland Islands by a commissioner, who is concurrently governor of the Falkland Islands, representing Queen Elizabeth II; Grytviken, formerly a whaling station on South Georgia, is a scientific base
- Wake Island: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Department of the Interior; activities on the island are managed by the US Air Force
Uninhabited or short-term visitors
These islands have no year-round residents, though they may be visited for various purposes (e.g., military, scientific, fishing, or recreation).
- Ashmore and Cartier Islands: territory of Australia; administered by the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services
- Baker Island: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
- Bassas da India: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
- Bouvet Island: territory of Norway; administered by the Polar Department of the Ministry of Justice and Police from Oslo
- Clipperton Island: possession of France; administered by France from French Polynesia by a high commissioner of the Republic
- Heard Island and McDonald Islands: territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage
- Howland Island: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
- Jarvis Island: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the US Department of the Interior as part of the National Wildlife Refuge system
- Kingman Reef: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the US Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior note: on 1 September 2000, the Department of the Interior accepted restoration of its administrative jurisdiction over Kingman Reef from the Department of the Navy; Executive Order 3223 signed 18 January 2001 established Kingman Reef National Wildlife Refuge to be administered by the Director, US Fish and Wildlife Service; this refuge is managed to protect the terrestrial and aquatic wildlife of Kingman Reef out to the 12-nautical-mile territorial sea limit
- Navassa Island: unincorporated territory of the US; administered from Washington, DC, by the Fish and Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior; in September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced against the island
- Tromelin Island: possession of France; administered by a high commissioner of the Republic, resident in Reunion
Notes
France
France has not had colonies since the 1960s. All citizens of the listed territorial entities enjoy full French citizenship rights, including the right to vote for national elections. All the inhabited entities, whatever their status, are represented by deputies and senators to the national parliament.
Some former colonies chose tight association with the rest of France and were incorporated as oversea départements: Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, French Guiana, with much the same status as the départements of mainland France or Corsica. They consistute "ultra-peripheral" regions of the European Union. The statuses of St. Pierre and Miquelon and the island of Mayotte (which insisted not to become independent as part of the now independent Comoros islands) are close.
The oversea territories of French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Wallis and Futuna enjoy some substantial legislative autonomy and have a separate currency (the CFP Franc). Whether they will choose independence in the future is an open question.
See also: Islands controlled by France in the Indian and Pacific oceans
United States
Citizens of U.S. oversea possessions, including Puerto Rico, do not have the right to vote in U.S. federal elections. The U.S. Department of State uses the term Insular areas to refer to the areas listed below (with the exception of Guantanamo Bay). Although the U.S. state of Hawaii is an island and is technically overseas from the rest of the U.S., it is fully a state of the Union and shares equal status under the U.S. constitution with all of the other states.
The U.S. does not claim sovereignty on Guantanamo Bay, but exercises permanent control and pays rent under terms of treaties with Cuba.
See also
