Département d'outre-mer
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.
*
French overseas departments and territories*
Département*
Administrative divisions of France*
Outremer*
Ministère de l'Outre-Mer*
past and current developments of France's overseas administrative divisions like DOMs and TOMs (in French)
