A dependent territory, dependent area, or dependency (sometimes referred as an external territory) is a territory that does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a sovereign state but remains politically outside the controlling state's integral area.
A dependent territory is commonly distinguished from a country subdivision by being considered not to be a constituent part of a sovereign state. An administrative subdivision, instead, is understood to be a division of a state proper. A dependent territory, conversely, often maintains a great degree of autonomy from its controlling state. Historically, most colonies were considered to be dependent territories. Not all autonomous entities are considered to be dependent territories. Most inhabited, dependent territories have their own ISO 3166 country codes.
Some political entities inhabit a special position guaranteed by an international treaty or another agreement, thereby creating a certain level of autonomy (e.g. a difference in immigration rules). Those entities are sometimes considered to be, or are at least grouped with, dependent territories, but are officially considered by their governing states to be an integral part of those states. All claims in Antarctica are listed in italics.
New Zealand
New Zealand has two self-governing associated states, one dependent territory, and a territorial claim in Antarctica.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Associated state !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || Self-governing state in free association with New Zealand since 1965. Cook Islands' status is considered to be equivalent to independence for international law purposes, and the country exercises full sovereignty over its internal and external affairs. Under the terms of the free association agreement, however, New Zealand retains some responsibility for the foreign relations and defence of the Cook Islands. These responsibilities confer no rights of control and are exercised only at the request of the Cook Islands Government. The government of New Zealand does not consider it appropriate for the Cook Islands to have a separate seat at the United Nations, due to its continued use of the right of Cook Islanders to have New Zealand citizenship.|| CK
|-
| || Self-governing state in free association with New Zealand since 1974. Niue's status is considered to be equivalent to independence for international law purposes, and the country exercises full sovereignty over its internal and external affairs. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. || TK
|-
! Dependent territory<br />(uninhabited, claimed) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| ' || This is New Zealand's Antarctic claim. Unlike Tokelau and the associated states (Cook Islands and Niue), the Ross Dependency is, according to the New Zealand government, constitutionally part of New Zealand. || No unique ISO 3166 country codes
|}
Norway
Norway has one dependent territory and two Antarctic claims. Norway also possesses the inhabited islands of Svalbard where Norwegian sovereignty is limited (see below).
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Dependent territory<br />(uninhabited) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || Dependency administered from Oslo by the Polar Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice and the Police. || BV
|-
! Dependent territory<br />(uninhabited, claimed) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| ' || rowspan=2 | Dependencies (subject to the Antarctic Treaty System) administered from Oslo by the Polar Affairs Department of the Ministry of Justice and the Police. || rowspan="2" | No unique ISO 3166 country codes
|-
| '
|}
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has three "Crown Dependencies", thirteen "Overseas Territories" (ten autonomous, two used primarily as military bases, and one uninhabited), and one Antarctic claim.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Crown Dependency !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || rowspan="3"| Responsibility for defence, international representation, and good government rests with the United Kingdom.
|| GG
|-
| || IM
|-
| || JE
|-
! Overseas Territory !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || House of Assembly of Anguilla handles domestic affairs. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. || AI
|-
| || Parliament of Bermuda handles domestic affairs and the territory is defined by the U.K. as self-governing. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. || BM
|-
| || House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands handles domestic affairs. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories || VG
|-
| || Parliament of the Cayman Islands handles domestic affairs. Almost complete internal self-government. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. || KY
|-
| || Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands handles domestic affairs. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. || FK
|-
| || Gibraltar Parliament handles domestic affairs. Almost complete internal self-government. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. || GI
|-
| || Legislative Council of Montserrat handles domestic affairs. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. || MS
|-
| || Island Council of the Pitcairn Islands handles some domestic affairs, however decisions are subject to approval by the Governor of the Pitcairn Islands, reporting to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. || PN
|-
| || Legislative Council of Saint Helena, Ascension Island Council and Tristan da Cunha Island Council handle domestic affairs. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. || SH
|-
| || House of Assembly of the Turks and Caicos Islands handles some domestic affairs. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. || TC
|-
! Overseas Territory<br />(Sovereign Base Areas) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || Two sovereign base areas administered as a single British overseas territory by the Commander of British Forces Cyprus, reporting to the Ministry of Defence. Permanent Cypriot population, as well as British military personnel and their families. || No unique ISO 3166 country codes
|-
! Overseas Territory<br />(uninhabited) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || Administered by the Commissioner for the British Indian Ocean Territory, reporting to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The Indigenous Chagossian population was removed between 1967 and 1973. Presently the territory is restricted to military personnel, principally at the joint U.K.-U.S. naval base on the atoll of Diego Garcia. Per a 2025 agreement, the territory is set to be ceded to Mauritius in the near future.|| IO
|-
| || Administered by the Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (who is also the Governor of the Falkland Islands), reporting to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. || GS
|-
! Overseas Territory<br />(uninhabited, claimed) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| ' || Administered by the Commissioner for the British Antarctic Territory, reporting to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The UK's Antarctic claim. || No unique ISO 3166 country codes
|}
United States
The United States has 13 "unincorporated" dependent territories under its administration and two claimed territories outside its control. The uninhabited Palmyra Atoll is administered similarly to some of these territories, and is usually included on lists of U.S. overseas territories, but it is excluded from this list because it is classified in U.S. law as an incorporated territory. The U.S. Constitution does not apply in full to the insular areas.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Unincorporated organized territory !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || Unincorporated organized territory of the U.S.; policy relations conducted through the Office of Insular Affairs of the Department of the Interior. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories || GU or<br/>US-GU
|-
| || Unincorporated organized territory of the U.S. with Commonwealth status; federal funding administered by the Office of Insular Affairs of the Department of the Interior || MP or<br/>US-MP
|-
| || Unincorporated organized territory of the U.S. with Commonwealth status; local government and residents are under the plenary authority of the U.S. Congress || PR or<br/>US-PR
|-
| || Unincorporated organized territory of the U.S. Policy relations conducted by the Office of Insular Affairs of the Department of the Interior. Appears on the Department of the Interior || VI or<br/>US-VI
|-
! Unincorporated unorganized territory !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || Unincorporated unorganized territory administered by the Office of Insular Affairs of the Department of the Interior. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories || AS or<br/>US-AS
|-
! Unincorporated unorganized territory<br />(uninhabited) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || rowspan="6" | Unincorporated unorganized territories of the U.S. administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior || UM-81
|-
|
| UM-84
|-
|
| UM-86
|-
|
| UM-67
|-
|
| UM-89
|-
|
| UM-71
|-
| || Unincorporated unorganized territory of the U.S. administered by the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior from the Cabo Rojo National Wildlife Refuge in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
| UM-76
|-
| || Unincorporated unorganized territory of the U.S. administered by the U.S. Air Force under an agreement with the Department of the Interior
| UM-79
|-
! Unincorporated unorganized territory<br />(uninhabited, claimed) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
|
| Administered by Colombia. Claimed by the United States (under the Guano Islands Act) and Jamaica. A claim by Nicaragua was resolved in 2012 in favor of Colombia by the International Court of Justice, although the U.S. was not a party to that case and does not recognize the court's compulsory jurisdiction. A claim by Honduras was settled in a 1986 treaty over maritime boundaries with Colombia.
|
|}
Lists of similar entities
The following entities are, according to the law of their state, integral parts of the state but exhibit many characteristics of dependent territories. This list is generally limited to entities that are either subject to an international treaty on their status, uninhabited, or have a unique level of autonomy and are largely self-governing in matters other than international affairs. It generally does not include entities with no unique autonomy, such as the five overseas departments and regions (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte, and Réunion) of France; the BES islands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba) of the Netherlands; Jan Mayen of Norway; and Palmyra Atoll of the United States.
Entities with only limited unique autonomy—such as Barbuda of Antigua and Barbuda; Sabah and Sarawak of Malaysia; the two autonomous regions (the Azores and Madeira) of Portugal; Nevis of Saint Kitts and Nevis; the Canary Islands and the two autonomous cities (Ceuta and Melilla) of Spain; Northern Ireland of the United Kingdom; and Kurdistan of Iraq—and entities with non-recognized unique autonomy—such as Wa of Myanmar; Gaza of Palestine; Puntland of Somalia; Zapatista of Mexico; and The autonomous administration north and east Syria of Syria—are also not included. All claims in Antarctica are listed in italics.
Australia
Australia has six external territories in its administration and one Antarctic claim.
Debate remains as to whether the external territories are integral parts of Australia, due to their not being part of Australia in 1901, when its constituent states federated (with the exception of the Coral Sea Islands, which was a part of Queensland). Norfolk Island was self-governing from 1979 to 2016. The external territories are often grouped separately from Australia proper for statistical purposes.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! External territory !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || rowspan=3 | Administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts || CX
|-
| || CC
|-
| || NF
|-
! External territory<br />(uninhabited) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || rowspan=2 | Administered from Canberra by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts|| HK or CN-HK
|-
| || Former Portuguese colony. Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China since 1999 according to the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration, an international treaty registered with the United Nations. The Macao Basic Law provides for the territory to enjoy a high degree of autonomy per the "one country, two systems" model under the central government of China. Although the territory is not part of mainland China, it is officially considered an integral part of the People's Republic of China.|| MO or CN-MO
|}
Denmark
The Kingdom of Denmark contains two autonomous territories with their own governments and legislatures, and input into foreign affairs.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Autonomous territory !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || Autonomous since 1948. since 1998. Appears on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories || NC or<br/>FR-NC
|-
! Overseas state private property<br />(uninhabited) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || The island is administered under the direct authority of the French government by the French Minister of the Overseas. || FR-CP
|-
! Overseas territory<br />(uninhabited) !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || TAAF (Terres australes et antartiques françaises) is an overseas territory since 1955, administered from Paris by an Administrateur Supérieur. The territory includes the Antarctic claim of Adélie Land and several islands in the Indian Ocean, including Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands and Scattered Islands || TF or<br/>FR-TF
|}
Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands comprises three autonomous "constituent countries" in the Caribbean (listed below) and one constituent country, the Netherlands, with most of its area in Europe but also encompassing three overseas Caribbean municipalities—Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba (these three Caribbean municipalities are excluded here because they are directly administered by the Government of the Netherlands). All citizens of the Dutch Kingdom share the same nationality and are thus citizens of the European Union, but only the European portion of the Kingdom is a part of the territory of the Union, the Customs Union, and the Eurozone while other areas have overseas countries and territory status.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Constituent country !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
||| Defined as a "country" ("land") within the Kingdom by the Statute of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba obtained full autonomy in internal affairs upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986. Part of the Kingdom but not in Europe, its citizenship nonetheless includes status as citizens of the European Union (the Kingdom government coincides almost exactly with the Government of the Netherlands, and is responsible for defence, foreign affairs, and nationality law).|| AW or<br/>NL-AW
|-
|
| rowspan="2" |Defined as a "country" ("land") within the Kingdom by the Statute of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Curaçao and Sint Maarten were part of the Netherlands Antilles until it was dissolved in October 2010. Part of the Kingdom but not in Europe, their citizenship nonetheless includes status as citizens of the European Union (the Kingdom government coincides almost exactly with the Government of the Netherlands, and is responsible for defence, foreign affairs, and nationality law).|| CW or<br/>NL-CW
|-
||| SX or<br/>NL-SX
|}
Norway
Norway has, in the Arctic, one inhabited archipelago with restrictions placed on Norwegian sovereignty — Svalbard. Unlike the country's dependent territory (Bouvet Island) and Antarctic claims (see above), Svalbard is a part of the Kingdom of Norway. Norway also has one uninhabited remote archipelago located in the Arctic, Jan Mayen, but it is excluded in this list as the island is directly administered by the Nordland County Municipality and none of the considerations established for Svalbard Treaty are attributed to it.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Territory !! Administration !! ISO 3166 country code
|-
| || This Arctic archipelago is the northernmost permanent civilian settlement in the world. Not incorporated into any county, it is administered by a governor appointed by the Norwegian government. Since 2002, its main settlement of Longyearbyen has elected a local government. Other settlements include the Russian mining community of Barentsburg, the research station of Ny-Ålesund, and the mining outpost of Sveagruva. The Svalbard Treaty of 1920 recognises Norwegian sovereignty (administered since 1925 as a sovereign part of the Kingdom of Norway) but established Svalbard as a free economic zone Under the Constitution of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico is described as a Commonwealth and Puerto Ricans have a degree of administrative autonomy similar to that of a citizen of a U.S. state. Puerto Ricans "were collectively made U.S. citizens" in 1917, as a result of the Jones–Shafroth Act. The commonly used name in Spanish of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, literally "Associated Free State of Puerto Rico", which sounds similar to "free association" particularly when loosely used in Spanish, is sometimes erroneously interpreted to mean that Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States is based on a Compact of Free Association and at other times is erroneously held to mean that Puerto Rico's relationship with the U.S. is based on an Interstate compact. This is a constant source of ambiguity and confusion when trying to define, understand, and explain Puerto Rico's political relationship with the United States. For various reasons Puerto Rico's political status differs from that of the Pacific Islands that entered into Compacts of Free Association with the United States. As sovereign states, these islands have the full right to conduct their foreign relations, while the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has territorial status subject to U.S. congressional authority under the Constitution's Territory Clause, "to dispose of and make all needful Rules and Regulations respecting the Territory… belonging to the United States." Puerto Rico does not have the right to unilaterally declare independence, and at the last referendum (1998), the narrow majority voted for "none of the above", which was a formally undefined alternative used by commonwealth supporters to express their desire for an "enhanced commonwealth" option. or "associated non-independent states."
The Kingdom of Denmark also operates similarly, akin to another federacy. The Faroe Islands and Greenland are two self-governing territories or regions within the Kingdom. The relationship between Denmark proper and these two territories is semi-officially termed the Rigsfællesskabet ("Unity of the Realm").
Overview of inhabited dependent territories
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name
! Population <small>(2016)</small>
! Area (km<sup>2</sup>)
! Area (mi<sup>2</sup>)
|-
|
| 15,700
| 254
| 98
| Asia
| Western Asia
|
| Overseas territory<br />(Sovereign Base Areas)
|-
|
| 29,013
| 1,580
| 610
| Europe
| Northern Europe
|
| Autonomous region
|-
|
| 54,194
| 199
| 77
| Oceania
| Polynesia
|
| Unincorporated unorganized territory
|-
|
| 15,100
| 91
| 35
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Overseas territory
|-
|
| 113,648
| 178.91
| 69.08
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Constituent country
|-
|
| 70,537
| 53.2
| 20.5
| Americas
| Northern America
|
| Overseas territory
|-
|
| 34,232
| 153
| 59
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Overseas territory
|-
|
| 57,268
| 264
| 101.9
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Overseas territory
|-
|
| 2,205
| 135
| 52
| Oceania
| Australia and New Zealand
|
| External territory
|-
|
| 596
| 14
| 5.4
| Oceania
| Australia and New Zealand
|
| External territory
|-
|
| 18,100
| 240
| 93
| Oceania
| Polynesia
|
| Associated state
|-
|
| 158,986
| 444
| 171
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Constituent country
|-
|
| 2,931
| 12,173
| 4,700
| Americas
| South America
|
| Overseas territory
|-
|
| 49,188
| 4,167
| 540
| Europe
| Northern Europe
|
| Autonomous territory
|-
|
| 285,735
| 1,399
| 1,609
| Oceania
| Polynesia
|
| Overseas collectivity<br />(Overseas country)
|-
|
| 29,328
| 6.5
| 2.5
| Europe
| Southern Europe
|
| Overseas territory
|-
|
| 56,483
| 2,166,086
| 836,330
| Americas
| Northern America
|
| Autonomous territory
|-
|
| 162,742
| 544
| 210
| Oceania
| Micronesia
|
| Unincorporated organized territory
|-
|
| 63,026
| 65
| 25
| Europe
| Northern Europe
|
| Crown Dependency
|-
|
| 7,374,000
| 2,755
| 1,064
| Asia
| Eastern Asia
|
| Special administrative region
|-
|
| 88,195
| 572
| 221
| Europe
| Northern Europe
|
| Crown Dependency
|-
|
| 98,069
| 118.2
| 45.6
| Europe
| Northern Europe
|
| Crown Dependency
|-
|
| 650,900
| 115.3
| 44.5
| Asia
| Eastern Asia
|
| Special administrative region
|-
|
| 5,267
| 101
| 39
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Overseas territory
|-
|
| 275,355
| 18,576
| 7,172
| Oceania
| Melanesia
|
| Sui generis collectivity
|-
|
| 1,190
| 261.46
| 100.95
| Oceania
| Polynesia
|
| Associated state
|-
|
| 2,210
| 34.6
| 13.4
| Oceania
| Australia and New Zealand
|
| External territory
|-
|
| 53,467
| 464
| 179
| Oceania
| Micronesia
|
| Unincorporated organized territory<br />(Commonwealth)
|-
|
| 57
| 43
| 17
| Oceania
| Polynesia
|
| Overseas territory
|-
|
| 3,411,307
| 9,104
| 3,515
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Unincorporated organized territory<br />(Commonwealth)
|-
|
| 7,209
| 25
| 9.7
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Overseas collectivity
|-
|
| 5,633
| 394
| 152
| Africa
| Western Africa
|
| Overseas territory
|-
|
| 31,949
| 53.2
| 20.5
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Overseas collectivity
|-
|
| 5,595
| 242
| 93
| Americas
| Northern America
|
| Overseas collectivity
|-
|
| 41,486
| 37
| 14
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Constituent country
|-
|
| 2,667
| 61,022
| 23,561
| Europe
| Northern Europe
|
| Unincorporated area
|-
|
| 1,499
| 10
| 3.9
| Oceania
| Polynesia
|
| Dependent territory
|-
|
| 51,430
| 430
| 166
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Overseas territory
|-
|
| 102,951
| 346.36
| 133.73
| Americas
| Caribbean
|
| Unincorporated organized territory
|-
|
| 15,664
| 142
| 55
| Oceania
| Polynesia
|
| Overseas collectivity
|}
See also
- Colonisation
- Colony
- Self-governing colony
- Domestic dependent nations
- Gallery of flags of dependent territories
- Independence referendum
- Past independence referendums
- List of administrative divisions by country
- List of autonomous areas by country
- List of countries by United Nations geoscheme
- Lists of former colonies, possessions, protectorates, and territories
- :Category:Former colonies
- Protectorate
- Timeline of national independence
- List of leaders of dependent territories
- List of sovereign states
- List of sovereign states and dependent territories by continent
- Suzerainty
- Vassal state
Notes
References
Citations
Sources
Bibliography
- George Drower, Britain's Dependent Territories, Dartmouth, 1992
- George Drower, Overseas Territories Handbook, TSO, 1998