Territory

A territory is a term for types of administrative division, usually an area that is under the jurisdiction of a state. In most countries' terminology, such as the United States and Nigeria, it refers to an organized division of an area that is under control of a country but not formally developed into, or incorporated into, a political unit of that country of equal status to other political units such as states or provinces. In international politics, the term is used particularly in reference to a non-sovereign geographic area which has come under the authority of another government; which has not been granted the powers of self-government normally devolved to secondary territorial divisions; or both.

Types

Common types of territory include:

Overseas territory (France)

The term overseas territory (French: Territoire d'outre-mer or TOM) is an administrative division of France and is currently only applied to the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.

The division differs from that of overseas departments (French: Département d'outre-mer or DOM), but because of some common peculiarities, DOMs, TOMs and other overseas possessions under other statuses are often referred to collectively as DOM/TOM. Unlike the British Overseas Territories, which are not constitutionally part of the United Kingdom or its national territory, they are integral parts of the French Republic.

Former overseas territories