territoire

Territory is a delimited geographical area that is under the jurisdiction or claim of a political unit, organization, or community. It encompasses land and, in practice, often includes adjacent waters and airspace. In international law and political geography, sovereignty over territory is the key basis of statehood, and territorial control is used to regulate resources, governance, and security. Boundaries may be defined by treaties, natural features, or historical arrangements, and border disputes are common in world affairs.

Types of territory include administrative-territorial units such as regions, provinces, departments, or districts within a country; dependent territories and non-self-governing territories; and sovereign or disputed territories whose status is contested. Territories can be wholly internal or extend across coastlines; maritime zones like territorial seas and exclusive economic zones extend the state’s influence beyond land, subject to international law and neighboring claims.

Historically, the concept has evolved with changes in state formation, colonialism, and globalization. The French term territoire, from Latin territorium, mirrors the general concept used in many languages. In French usage, territoire can refer to the geographical area under a state’s jurisdiction, as well as to an administrative or electoral division, or a domain of authority within a federation or colony, including overseas territories.

In broader usage, the idea of territory also appears in disciplines such as ecology and anthropology, where territoriality describes how groups defend or claim space, resources, or influence.