Département d'outre-mer

From Open Encyclopedia

(Redirected from Overseas departments)

This article is part of the series: Subdivisions of France
Regional level
Régions
(incl. Overseas régions)
Departmental level
Départements
(incl. Overseas départements)
Arrondissement level
Arrondissements
Cantonal level
Cantons
Intercommunal level
Communautés urbaines
Communautés d'agglomération
Communautés de communes
Syndicats d'agglomération nouvelle
Communal level
Communes
Municipal arrondissements
Others
Collectivités d'outre-mer
Collectivité sui generis
Pays d'outre-mer
Territoire d'outre-mer
Scattered Islands
Clipperton Island

Under the 1946 Constitution of the Fourth Republic, the French colonies of Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana in the Caribbean and Réunion in the Indian Ocean became départements d'outre-mer (in English Overseas Departments) or DOMs.

The status of DOMs differs from that of Overseas Territories (TOMs), but because of some common peculiarities, DOMs, TOMs and other overseas possessions with other statuses are often referred to as DOM/TOM.

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon became a DOM in 1976, but its status changed to that of a collectivité territoriale in 1985.

As integral parts of the French Republic, they are represented in the National Assembly, Senate and Economic and Social Council, elect a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), and also use the Euro as their currency.

Since 1982, following the French government's policy of decentralisation, they have elected regional councils with powers similar to those of the régions of metropolitan France. As a result of a constitutional revision which occurred in 2003, these régions are now to be called régions d'outre-mer; indeed the new wording of the Constitution aims to give no precedence to either appellation département or région d'outre-mer, though the second one is still virtually unused by French media.