A Unique Status

France's overseas territories occupy a singular position in the post-colonial world. Unlike former colonies that gained independence, these regions remain integral parts of France, their residents holding French citizenship and voting in French elections. Yet this political integration coexists with significant cultural, linguistic, and geographical distance from the Hexagon (metropolitan France).

The five territories explored in this book—Guadeloupe, Martinique, Réunion, French Polynesia, and New Caledonia—each have distinct relationships with France:

- Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean are overseas departments (départements d'outre-mer), fully integrated into the French administrative system - Réunion in the Indian Ocean shares this departmental status while maintaining its unique Creole identity - French Polynesia enjoys significant autonomy as an overseas collectivity, with its own president and assembly - New Caledonia possesses a special status with extensive self-governance and ongoing discussions about potential independence

Dr. Françoise Vergès, a political scientist from Réunion, explains: "These different statuses reflect different histories, different negotiations, different visions of the future. There's no single model for being French and overseas."