Dependent territory
A dependent territory, dependent area or dependency is a territory that does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a State, and remains politically outside of the controlling states integral area.[1]
A dependency is commonly distinguished from other subnational entities in that they are not considered to be part of the integral territory of the governing State. A subnational entity typically represents a division of the State proper, while a dependent territory often maintains a great degree of autonomy from the controlling State. Historically most colonies were considered to be dependencies of their controlling State. Most of these have either become independent or assimilated into the conquering state, the dependencies that remain generally maintain a very high degree of political autonomy. Although dependencies retain a degree of autonomy, not all autonomous entities are considered to be dependencies.
A number of political entities have a special position recognized by international treaty or agreement resulting in a certain level of autonomy or differences in immigration rules. These are sometimes considered dependencies[2], but they are considered by their controlling states to be integral parts of the state. These include:
Åland in 
Finland
Hong Kong in the 
People's Republic of China
Macau in the People's Republic of China
Palestine in 
Israel
Svalbard in Norway
Contents |
[edit] Lists of dependent territories
Dependency claims without general international recognition, including all claims in Antarctica, are listed in italics. Uninhabited territories or territories with no permanent population are marked with hash/number symbols (#). The list includes several territories that are not included in the list of non-self-governing territories [1] listed by the General Assembly of the United Nations and not legally classified as dependencies by that polity.
[edit] Australia
Although all territories of Australia are considered to be fully integrated in its federative system, and the official status of an external territory does not differ largely from that of a mainland territory, debate remains as to whether the external territories are integral parts of Australia, due to their not being part of Australia in 1901, when it's constituent stated federated. [3] They are often listed separately for statistical purposes.[citation needed] The external territories of Norfolk Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands are considered to be integral parts of the Commonwealth of Australia.[4][5]
| Territory | Administration |
|---|---|
 Ashmore and Cartier Islands # |
From Canberra by the Attorney-General's Department.[6] |
 Christmas Island |
|
| Coral Sea Islands # |
|
| Australian Antarctic Territory # |
From Canberra by the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment and Heritage. |
| Heard Island and McDonald Islands # |
[edit] Denmark
| Division | Administration |
|---|---|
 Faroe Islands |
Self-governing overseas administrative division since 1948. Part of the Kingdom of Denmark but not of the European Union. |
 Greenland |
Self-governing overseas administrative division since 1979. Part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Left the European Union in 1986. |
[edit] France
The integral area of France is referred to as Metropolitan France, while the collective dependent territories are often called DOMTOMs.
| Territory | Administration |
|---|---|
 Clipperton Island # |
Atoll administered by the Minister for Overseas Territories. No permanent population. |
 French Polynesia |
Overseas collectivity since 2003; Overseas country since 2004. |
 Mayotte |
Departmental collectivity since 2001; overseas collectivity since 2003. |
 New Caledonia |
"Sui generis" collectivity since 1999; appears on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. |
 Saint Barthélemy |
Overseas collectivities since 2007. |
| Saint Martin |
|
 Saint Pierre and Miquelon |
Territorial collectivity since 1985; overseas collectivity since 2003. |
 Wallis and Futuna |
Overseas territory since 1961; overseas collectivity since 2003. |
| French Southern and Antarctic Lands # |
The French Southern and Antarctic Lands is an Overseas territory since 1955, administered from Paris by an Administrateur Superieur (since 16 October 2008, Rollon Mouchel-Blaisot). No permanent population. |
[edit] Netherlands
| Country | Administration |
|---|---|
 Aruba |
Defined as a "country" ("land") within the Kingdom of the Netherlands by the Statute of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Full autonomy in internal affairs obtained upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986; Government of the Netherlands responsible for defense, foreign affairs and nationality law. Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands but not of the European Union although its citizens are Citizens of the European Union. |
 Netherlands Antilles |
Defined as a "country" ("land") within the Kingdom of the Netherlands by the Statute of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Government of the Netherlands responsible for defense, foreign affairs and nationality law. Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but not of the European Union although its citizens are Citizens of the European Union.
The Netherlands Antilles are planned to be dissolved on 10 October 2010. |
[edit] New Zealand
| In free association | Administration |
|---|---|
 Cook Islands |
Self-governing state in free association with New Zealand since 1965. The Cook Islands are fully responsible for their internal affairs; New Zealand, in consultation, retains some responsibility for external affairs and defence. As of 2005, the Cook Islands have diplomatic relations in their own name with eighteen countries. |
 Niue |
Self-governing state in free association with New Zealand since 1974. Niue is fully responsible for its internal affairs; New Zealand retains responsibility for external affairs and defence. New Zealand's responsibilities confer no rights of control and are only exercised at the request of the Government of Niue. |
| Territory | Administration |
 Tokelau |
Self-administering territory of New Zealand. As it moves toward free association with New Zealand, Tokelau and New Zealand have agreed to a draft constitution. A UN-sponsored referendum on self-governance in February 2006 did not produce the two-thirds supermajority necessary for changing the current political status. Another one was in October 2007, which failed to reach the 2/3 margin. |
 Ross Dependency # |
New Zealand's Antarctic claim. |
[edit] Norway
| Dependency | Administration |
|---|---|
| Bouvet Island # |
Dependency administered from Oslo by the Polar Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice and the Police. |
| Peter I Island # | Dependencies (subject to the Antarctic Treaty System) administered from Oslo by the Polar Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice and the Police. |
| Queen Maud Land # |
[edit] United Kingdom
| Overseas territories | Administration |
|---|---|
 Anguilla |
British overseas territories. |
 Cayman Islands |
|
 Montserrat |
|
 Pitcairn Islands |
|
 Turks and Caicos Islands |
|
 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha |
|
 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands # |
|
 Bermuda |
British overseas territory or self-governing territory as defined by the UK. |
 British Antarctic Territory # |
The UK's Antarctic claim. |
 British Indian Ocean Territory # |
British overseas territory administered by a commissioner resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London. |
 British Virgin Islands |
British overseas territory with internal self-government. |
 Falkland Islands |
British overseas territory. Falkland Islands also administers South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands through the Governor of the Falkland Islands as representative of the British monarch. |
 Gibraltar |
British overseas territory. |
| Sovereign Base Areas | Administration |
 Akrotiri and Dhekelia |
British overseas territory administered by the Commander of British Forces, Cyprus. Note SBAs are primarily required as military bases and not ordinary dependent territories |
| Crown dependencies | Administration |
 Guernsey |
Crown dependencies |
 Jersey |
|
 Isle of Man |
[edit] United States
| Territory | Administration |
|---|---|
 American Samoa |
Unincorporated and unorganized territory administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior. Appears on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. |
 Baker Island # |
Unorganized and unincorporated territory administered from Washington, D.C. by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior. |
| Bajo Nuevo Bank # |
Unincorporated territory of the U.S. administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Also claimed by Colombia, Jamaica and Nicaragua. |
 Guam |
Unincorporated organized territory; policy relations between Guam and the U.S. conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior. Appears on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. |
| Howard Island # |
Unorganized and unincorporated territory administered from Washington, D.C. by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior. |
| Jarvis Island # |
Unorganized and unincorporated territory administered from Washington, D.C. by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior. |
| Johnston Atoll # |
Unorganized and unincorporated territory administered from Washington, D.C. by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior. |
| Kingman Reef # |
Unorganized and unincorporated territory administered from Washington, D.C. by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior. |
| Midway Island # |
Unorganized and unincorporated territory administered from Washington, D.C. by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States Department of the Interior. |
| Navassa Island # |
Unincorporated territory of the U.S. administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior from the Caribbean Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boquerón, Puerto Rico. Claimed by Haiti and privately via the Guano Islands Act. |
 Northern Mariana Islands |
Commonwealth in political union with the U.S.; federal funding administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior. |
 Puerto Rico |
Unincorporated organized territory of the U.S. with commonwealth status; policy relations between Puerto Rico and the U.S. conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of the President. |
| Serranilla Bank # |
Unincorporated territory of the U.S. administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Also claimed by Colombia and Nicaragua. Beacon Cay is occupied by Colombia. |
 U.S. Virgin Islands |
Unincorporated organized territory; policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the U.S. conducted under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior. Appears on the United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. |
| Wake Island # |
Supervised by the U.S. Air Force, administered from Washington, D.C. by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and is claimed by the Marshall Islands. |
[edit] See also
- United Nations list of Non-Self-Governing Territories
- List of current heads of government of dependencies
- Associated state
- Asymmetric federation
- Condominium, joint sovereignty over an area shared by two or more states.
- Federacy
- Federation
- Federated state
- List of autonomous areas by country
- List of sovereign states
- List of special entities recognized by international treaty or agreement
- List of subnational entities
- List of territorial disputes
- List of unrecognized countries
- Special member state territories and their relations with the EU
- Suzerainty
- Territorial claims in Antarctica
- Colony
- Settler colonialism
[edit] References
- ^ http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/138431
- ^ http://www.listaba.com/list/01000326594567/
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=6Pd8F1mFp1oC&pg=PA405&dq=australia+external+territories&hl=es&ei=dAVmTN3hE4iesQOMn6W7DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CGEQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=australia%20external%20territories&f=false
- ^ "Norfolk Island Governance and Administration". 20 February 2008. http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/TerritoriesofAustralia_NorfolkIsland_NorfolkIslandGovernanceandAdministration. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
- ^ "Cocos Islands Environment and Heritage". 7 September 2009. http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/TerritoriesofAustralia_Cocos(Keeling)Islands_CocosIslandsEnvironmentandHeritage. Retrieved 31 July 2010.
- ^ First Assistant Secretary, Territories Division (2008-01-30). "Territories of Australia". Attorney-General's Department. http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/territories/index.aspx. Retrieved 2008-02-07. "The Federal Government, through the Attorney-General's Department administers Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, the Coral Sea Islands, Jervis Bay, and Norfolk Island as Territories."
- George Drower, Britain's Dependent Territories, Dartmouth, 1992
- George Drower, Overseas Territories Handbook, TSO, 1998
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook.
