Overseas region

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Overseas region (Région d'outre-mer), is a recent designation given to the overseas departments which have similar powers to those of the regions of metropolitan France. They have had these powers since 1982, when France's decentralisation policy dictated that they be given elected regional councils along with other regional powers. It was not until the 2003 constitutional change that these regions are now to be called overseas regions; indeed the new wording of the Constitution aims to give no precedence to either appellation department or overseas region, though the second one is still virtually unused by French media.

The following have overseas region status:

• Guadeloupe in the Caribbean
• Martinique in the Caribbean
• French Guiana in South America
• Réunion in the Indian Ocean

Powers

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.

See also

• Administrative divisions of France
• French overseas departments and territories
• Colonialism

External links

• Ministère de l'Outre-Mer
• some explanations about the past and current developments of DOMs and TOMs (in French)

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Last updated on Monday February 25, 2008 at 05:40:49 PST (GMT -0800)
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