Overseas departments of France
France currently has five overseas departments (French: département d’outre-mer), which are departments (territorial divisions) that are outside the European part of the country. All are officially part of France, with the same political status as the departments in Europe; and are therefore different to overseas territories. They are also part of the European Union and use the Euro as currency. They are:
| Flag | Department | Prefecture | Region | Since | Instrument |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
French Guiana (French: Guyane) |
Cayenne | South America | 19 March 1946 | Parliamentary resolution |
|
Guadeloupe (French: Guadeloupe) |
Basse-Terre | Caribbean | 19 March 1946 | Parliamentary resolution |
|
Martinique (French: Martinique) |
Fort-de-France | Caribbean | 19 March 1946 | Parliamentary resolution |
|
Mayotte (French: Mayotte) |
Mamoudzou | Africa | 31 March 2011 | Referendum |
|
Réunion (French: La Réunion) |
Saint-Denis | Africa | 19 March 1946 | Parliamentary resolution |
Since 2003, these departments are now officially called overseas regions (French: région d'outre-mer), but this name has yet to be widely adopted. Each region returns elected representatives to the Senate and National Assembly in Paris.[1] A total of three members are elected to the European Parliament to represent overseas France, including overseas departments and overseas territories.[2] Since 1974, these regions have had their own individual regional councils for local government.[1]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "French Overseas Possessions - Overview". WorldTravelGuide.net. World Travel Guide. Retrieved 22 October 2008.
- ↑ "Country : France; Constituency : Outre-Mer". European Parliament. Archived from the original on 14 August 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2008.
Other websites
[change | change source]- Ministry of the overseas departments and territories (in French)
- History of France’s overseas administrative divisions Archived 2006-09-29 at the Wayback Machine (in French)