Frenchadministered

Frenchadministered is a term used to describe territories governed by the French Republic under its legal and administrative framework. In practice it refers to metropolitan France and a range of overseas entities whose administration is carried out by French state institutions, sometimes with varying degrees of local autonomy.

Administrative structure and status vary by territory. Overseas departments (depárterements d'outre-mer, DOM) are integral parts of France, subject to French law and representation in the national legislature. Overseas collectivities (collectivités d'outre-mer, COM) have local statutes and differing powers of self-government. The term TOM (territoire d'outre-mer) occurs in historical usage to describe certain overseas territories, while some territories, such as New Caledonia and French Polynesia, hold sui generis or highly autonomous statuses. The French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF) are an overseas territory with a unique administrative arrangement. Mayotte, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, and French Guiana are examples of DOMs; Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Wallis and Futuna, French Polynesia, and New Caledonia are examples of COM or special-status entities.

Governance and representation generally involve a prefect or regional representative who oversees national and local administration, alongside elected local bodies. DOMs share representative mechanisms with metropolitan France, including seats in the National Assembly and the Senate. COMs and sui generis territories have local councils or assemblies and varying degrees of legislative autonomy.

Historically, the concept arose from France’s colonial and post-colonial administration, evolving through decentralization reforms to recognize different levels of local governance while maintaining French sovereignty.