This article is part of the series on
Administrative divisions of France |
(incl. overseas regions) |
(incl. overseas departments) |
Urban communities |
Others in Overseas France
Overseas collectivities |
(incl. overseas regions)
(incl. overseas departments)
Urban communities
Agglomeration communities
Commune communities
Syndicates of New Agglomeration
Associated communes
Municipal arrondissements
Overseas collectivities
Sui generis collectivity
Overseas country
Overseas territory
Clipperton Island
An overseas department (French: département d’outre-mer or DOM) is a department of France that is outside metropolitan France. They have nearly the same political status as metropolitan departments, although they have special constitutional provisions that allow them greater autonomy and are excluded from certain domestic statistics, such as the unemployment rate. The overseas departments are not the same as the overseas collectivities, which have a legally distinct status. As integral parts of France and the European Union, overseas departments are represented in the National Assembly, Senate, and Economic and Social Council, vote to elect members of the European Parliament (MEP), and also use the euro as their currency. Each overseas department is also an overseas region.