Hi,
First, different websites :
The Ministry of the overseas where you can find some basic informations :
http://www.outre-mer.gouv.fr/outremer/front
http://www.outre-mer.gouv.fr/outremer/front?id=outremer/decouvrir_outre_mer
The overseas TV and Radio : RFO :
http://www.rfo.fr/
And a particular website about the island of Clipperton. It is a french
territory, dependancy of the french polynesia. This micro-island is disputed
whith some mexican fishermen. Around this island, there is a big and
exclusive french maritime property, as bigger as the french metropolitan
territorry. This island is unhabited. There is on this island a monument
where it is written 'French Republic' whith a frech flag. Regularly, this
monument is garbled by mexican tags. Actually a french scientist work on ths
island :
http://www.jeanlouisetienne.fr/clipperton/default.cfm
And about the TAAF :
http://www.taaf.fr/
About these dependancies, two clear status exist :
- DOM which have THE SAME status of each metropolitan departments. They are
IN european union, they use Euro and use the same licence plates whith the
code of the department : 971=Guadeloupe, 972=Martinique, 973=Guyane,
974=Reunion. ( 0000 XX 971 ; .....)
Only 4 territories whith the status of DOM. Some departements
are composed which more than 1 island like Guadeloupe that included the
islands of Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthelemy. Stamps are the same that in
France.
- TOM : all the other islands excepted Mayotte and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon
and recently the French Polynesia. They all have a specific status. They are
not in European Union and all use the Pacific francs. Stamps are made by the
local post. The licence plates are
different : 0000 WF = Wallis&Futuna, 00000 NC = Nouvelle Calédonie, 00000 P
= French Polynesia.
TAAF (antartic territory and island like Kerguelen) are TOM but with a
special mention. These territories are scientific territories. They make
their
own stamps (for money) and probably use Euro. No cars, no licence plates.
The
administration for this territory is based on the Island of the Reunion
(DOM)
Rencently (27 february 2004), the status of French Polynesia has evolved.
It is more than a TOM : they now are a "POM" = Pays d'Outre-Mer (Overseas
Country)
"La Polynésie française est donc désormais un Pays d'Outre-mer au sein de la
République. Elle se gouverne librement et démocratiquement et constitue une
collectivité d'Outre-mer dont l'autonomie, garantie par la République, est
régie par l'article 74 de la Constitution."
They govern themselves, freely
and democratically and constitute an oversea collective which the autonomy
is garanteed by the Republic and the article Number 74 of the constitution
and he following law.
French Polynesia is now an overseas country inside the french Republic.
Law = Loi organique n° 2004-192 du 27 février 2004 portant statut
d'autonomie de la Polynésie française"
The 2 special status. Mayotte and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. These status are
halfway between DOM and TOM.
Mayotte : a departmental collective (collectivité départementale). I don't
know which money or stamps they use, I don't know if they are in or out of
european union. Licence plates are same then others DOM or metropolitan
department : 0000 AA 976.
Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon. : a territorial collective (collectivité
territoriale). I know very well these islands. I lived in Saint-Pierre. They
were a TOM until 1976. Then they were a DOM until 1984. Then they became a
"collectivité territorial". When they were a DOM, all imported produces
(food, ...) came from Newfoundland (Canada) : and consequently OUT of the
european union. High taxes were imposed and the "level of life" was too
high. Whith the new status, no taxes on importations. But the local
administration is like all department with a general council (Conseil
Général www.cg975.fr) with more autonomy or authority.
They use Euro (pacific francs will be not a good idea in north atlantic !!!!
They use metropolitan stamps but printed "Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon). They
also make their own stamps. During the period of DOM, no special stamps were
produced : only metropolitan (national stamps). Licence plates are : "0000
SPM" and since "9999 SPM" they use "SPM 000 A". They refused to change for
"0000 AA 975"
They are not the territory
of the european union, and I never saw a european flag. BUT, they will vote
in the future french referendum about the euopean constitution. But, in
past, on european referendum, just few persons had voted.
http://www.grandcolombier.com/
Bye
Romain