Overseas region (French: 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 departement or overseas region, though the second one is still virtually unused by French media. 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 doutre-mer (in English Overseas Departments) or DOMs. ... France is divided into 26 régions, further subdivided into départements. ... Metropolitan France (French: France métropolitaine, or just la Métropole) is the part of France in Europe, including Corsica, as opposed to the overseas departments and overseas territories, which, while integral parts of the French Republic, are regarded as Overseas France (la France doutre-mer, or more colloquially... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Decentralisation (American: decentralization) is any of various means of more widely distributing decision-making to bring it closer to the point of service or action. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The following have overseas region status:

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

World map depicting Caribbean : West Indies redirects here. ... World map depicting Caribbean : West Indies redirects here. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ...

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. The Palais Bourbon, front The French National Assembly (French: Assemblée nationale) is one of the two houses of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. ... The Senate amphitheater in the Luxembourg Palace The Senate (in French :le Sénat) is the upper house of the Parliament of France. ... The Economic and Social Council of France is a consultative assembly. ... Sign in the entrance of the European Parliament building in Brussels, written in all the official languages used in the European Union as of July 2006 The European Parliament building in Strasbourg The debating chamber, or hemicycle, in Strasbourg The European Parliament building in Brussels The European Parliament (formerly European... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

See also

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

Metropolitan (i. ... The French Overseas Departments and Territories (often abbreviated DOM-TOM for départements doutre-mer, territoires doutre-mer) consist broadly of French-administered territories outside of Europe. ... See colony and colonisation for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism. ...

External links

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