'Overseas region' (), 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)