List of French possessions and colonies

Map of all French possessions and colonies

During the 19th and 20th centuries, the French colonial empire was one of the largest in the world, behind the British Empire, the Russian Empire, and the Spanish Empire; it extended over 12,898,000 km² (4,980,000 sq mi) of land at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. The French colonial empire was the second largest empire in the 17th century and the second largest empire in 1929 after Spain and Britain respectively. Including metropolitan France, the total amount of land under French sovereignty reached 13,018,575 km² (5,020,000 sq. miles) in 1929, which is 8.7% of the Earth's total land area. In terms of population however, France and her colonial empire totaled only 110 million inhabitants on the eve of World War II, compared to 330 million for British India alone.

France began to establish colonies in North America, the Caribbean and India, following Spanish and Portuguese successes during the Age of Discovery, in rivalry with Britain for supremacy. A series of wars with Britain during the 18th century and early 19th century, which France lost, ended its colonial ambitions in these regions, and with it what some historians term the "first" French colonial empire. In the 19th century, France established a new empire in Africa and South East Asia. Some of these colonies lasted beyond the invasion and occupation of France by Nazi Germany during World War II. At present, France possesses the second-largest exclusive economic zone in the world, just after the USA; it measures approximately 11,351,000 km² (4,383,000 sq mi).

Here is a list of all the countries that were part of the French colonial empires in the last 500 years, either entirely or in part, either under French sovereignty or as mandate or protectorate.

In Europe

The 130 French Départements in 1811

Illyrian Provinces

Flag of French Protectorate of Saar

• France (486-)
  • The Free Republic of Vercors (1944) (Republic established against Vichy France and Nazi Germany)

• Albania
  • Autonomous Albanian Republic of Korçë (Allied state established in 1916 by the local French forces) (1916–1920)
• Principality of Andorra (1806–1814) (the French President is Co-Prince of Andorra)
• Austria
  • The French occupied zone in Austria (15.8% of the current country) (1945–1956)
• What is now Belgium (1703–1706) (1745–1748) (1795–1814)
• What is now mostly Croatia and a part of Slovenia
  • Illyrian Provinces :
    • The eleven French departments of Croatia (1808–1813) (Adelsberg, Bouches-du-Cattaro, Croatie, Dalmatie, Fiume, Gorice, Laybach, Neustdat, Raguse, Trieste, Willach)
• Greece
  • The three French departments of Greece (1.75% of the current country) (1797–1802) (Corcyre, Ithaque, Mer-Égée)
  • Kastelorizo Island (1915–1920)
  • Fort Navarin, in Pylos (1828–1833)
  • Ionian Islands (1807-1809)
• Italy (1805–1814)
  • Kingdom of Naples
  • Veneto, Friuli and Mantua with the city of Venice (1866)
  • The fifteen French departments of Italy (26.5% of the current country) (1802–1814) (Doire, Marengo (department), Pô (department), Sésia, Stura, Tanaro, Apennins, Gênes, Montenotte, Méditerranée, Ombrone (department), Taro (department), Tibre, Trasimène)
• Germany
  • Town of Kehl (French administration for seven years to prevent possible German attacks after the WWI) (1918–1925??) (1946–1953)
  • The Confederation of the Rhine (1806–1813) (Around thirty German German States)
  • The French Zone of Occupation in Germany (15.7% of the current country) (1945–1956)
  • The French Protectorate of Saar (protectorate) (0.71% of the current country) (1920–1935) (1947–1956)
• Guernsey (1204–1205) (1205–1206) (1338–1340) (1372–1373)
  • Hauteville House^[1]
• Jersey (1204–1205) (1205–1206) (1380–1382) (1461–1468) (1781 - Battle of Jersey)
• Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (1792–1793) (1795–1814)
• Malta (1798–1800)
• The rock of Monaco (1793–1814)
• Netherlands (1795–1810)
  • Curaçao (1713)
  • Sint Eustatius (1625) (1689–1690) (1781–1784) (1795–1801)
• Poland
  • The Duchy of Warsaw (1807–1815)
• Portugal (1807–1810)
• Spain (1808–1813)
  • Canary Islands (1402-1418)^[2]
  • The four French departments of Spain (6% of the current country) (1812–1814) (Bouches-de-l'Èbre, Montserrat, Sègre, Ter)
• Switzerland (1798–1813)
• England (1066), (partly in 1216-1223)
• United Kingdom
  • British overseas territories
    • St Helena
      • The French domains of St Helena (1858- ) (The House of Longwood, The Valley of the Grave, Pavilion des Briars is 0,15 km ²)^[3]
    • Turks and Caicos Islands (1753–1754) (1778) (1783)
    • Falkland Islands (1764–1767)
    • Montserrat (1667) (1782–1784)
• Vatican
  • The French domains of Vatican (Five churches and their dependence : St Louis des Français, La Trinité des monts, St Nicolas des Lorrains, St Yves des Bretons, St Claude des Francs-comtois de Bourgogne. Then, 13 Residential properties in Rome and one building and about hectares of lands to Lorette)^[4]

In the Americas

This map shows the Louisiana Purchase area, which corresponds approximately with colonial French Louisiana.

Map of New France

Taking up of the Louisiana by La Salle in the name of the Kingdom of France

• What is now the Dominican Republic (1795–1809)
• Canada
  • New France (1534–1763), and nearby lands:
    • Acadia (1604–1713)
    • Newfoundland
    • Hudson Bay
    • Saint Lawrence River
    • Great Lakes
    • Lake Winnipeg
    • Quebec
• What is now the United States
  • The Fort Saint Louis (Texas) (1685–1689)
  • Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (1650–1733)
  • Fort Caroline in French Florida (occupation by Huguenots) (1562–1565)
  • French Louisiana (23.3% of the current country) (1764–1804) (sold by Napoleon I)
    • Lower Louisiana
    • Upper Louisiana
  • Louisiana (New France) (1672–1764)
• What is now Brazil
  • France Équinoxiale (Bay of São Luis) (1610–1615)
  • The island of Saint Alexis (1531)
  • The Territory of Amapá (1897) (disputed Franco-Brazilian territory resolved in favour of Brazil)^[5]
  • The city of Viçosa-Ceará (Territory of Ibiapaba) (1590–1604)
  • France Antarctique, to Fort Coligny ( Rio de Janeiro Bay) (1555–1567)
  • Île Delphine's island (1736-1737)
• Mexico
  • The Republic of Sonora (1853–1854) (Establishes a republic for the mining of ores)
  • Mexico City (1863–1867)
  • The Second Mexican Empire (1861–1867) (French expedition which ended in the implementation by Napoleon III of a European Emperor, favourable to France (Maximilian I of Mexico)
• Haiti (1627–1804)
• French Guiana (1643- )
• What is now Suriname
  • Tapanahony (District of Sipaliwini) (Controversial Franco-Dutch in favour of the Netherlands) (25.8% of the current territory) (1814)
• Guadeloupe (1635- )
• Îles des Saintes (1648- )
• Marie-Galante (1635- )
• la Désirade (1635- )
• Martinique (1635- )
• Clipperton Island (1711- )
• Saint Pierre and Miquelon (1604- )
• Collectivity of Saint Martin (1624- )
• Saint Barthélemy (1648-1784, 1878- )
• Dominica (1625–1663, 1778-1783)
• Nevis (1782–1784)
• Grenada (1650–1762, 1779–1783)
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1719-1763, 1779–1783)
• Saint Christopher Island (1628–1690, 1698–1702, 1706, 1782–1783)
• Antigua (briefly in 1666)
• Saint Lucia (1650–1723, 1756–1778, 1784–1803)
• What is now Guyana (1782–1784)
• Tobago (1666–1667, 1781–1793, 1802–1803)

In Africa

The pith helmet (in this case, of the Second French Empire) is an icon of colonialism in tropical lands

Map of French colonies in Africa (in pink)

Italian-French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, who, without a shot, acquired territory which included the Gabon, Central African Republic and Republic of the Congo

French North Africa

• French Morocco (1912–1956) (protectorate) (89% of the current territory) (now Morocco)
• French Algeria (1830–1962) (Now Algeria)
  • Oran (department) (1848–1962)
  • Constantine (department) (1848–1962)
  • Alger (department) (1848–1962)
  • French colony of El Kala (1560–1829)
• Egypt (ownership (1798–1801)) (financial Condominium of France and the United Kingdom) (1876–1882)^[6]
• French Tunisia (1881–1956) (protectorate) (Now Tunisia)
  • French naval Base at Bizerte (1956-1963)^[7]
• Fezzan-Ghadames (1943–1951) (administration given by the UNO after its conquest by Charles de Gaulle)

French West Africa

• Ivory Coast (1843–1960)
• Dahomey or French Dahomey (now Benin) (1883–1960)
  • Independent of Dahomey, under French protectorate in 1889
  • Porto-Novo (protectorate) (1863–1865, 1882)
  • Cotonou (protectorate) (1868)
• French Sudan (now Mali) (1883–1960)
  • Senegambia and Niger (1902-1904)
• Guinea or French Guinea (1891–1958)
• Mauritania (1902–1960)
  • Adrar emirate (protectorate) (1909)
  • The Taganit confederation's emirate (protectorate) (1905)
  • Brakna confederation's emirate (protectorate)
  • Emirate of Trarza (protectorate) (1902)
• Niger (1890–1960)
  • Sultanate of Damagaram (Zinder) (protectorate) (1899)
• Senegal (1677–1960)
• French Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) (1896–1960)
• French Togoland (1918–1960) (formerly a German colony, mandate became a French colony) (now Togo)
• Nigeria
  • The Enclaves of Forcados and Badjibo (territory under a lease of 30 years) (1900–1927)
  • The Emirate of Muri (Northeast of Nigeria) (1892–1893)
• Gambia
  • Albreda (1681–1857)
  • Kunta Kinteh Island (1695-1697-1702)

French Equatorial Africa

• Chad (1900–1960)
• Oubangui-Chari (currently Central African Republic) (1905–1960)
  • Dar al-Kuti (protectorate) (1897) (in 1912 its sultanate was suppressed by the French)
  • Sultanate of Bangassou (protectorate) (1894)
• What is now The Republic of Congo, then French Congo (1875–1960)
• Gabon (1839–1960)
• French Cameroon (91% of current Cameroon) (1918–1960) (formerly a German colony, Mandate, Protectorate then French Colony)
• São Tomé and Príncipe (1709)

French East Africa

• Eritrea (1838–1853) (at the beginning of colonization by naval officer who stopped following a diplomatic dispute between France and Britain)^[8]
• Madagascar (1896–1960)
  • Kingdom of Imerina (protectorate) (1896)
• Isle de France (1715–1810) (now Mauritius)
• Djibouti (French Somaliland) (the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas) (French Somalia) (1862–1977)
• Mayotte (1841- )
• Seychelles (1756–1810)
• Chagos Archipelago (1721–1745)(1768–1814)
• The Scattered Islands (Banc du Geyser, Bassas da India, Europa Island, Juan de Nova Island, Glorioso Islands, Tromelin Island)
• Comoros (1866–1975)
• Réunion (1710- )

In Asia

Map Of French Colony in India

Map of French Mandate of Syria

Zones of French and British influence and control established by the Sykes-Picot Agreement

• French Indochina
  • French Indochinese Union (1887–1954)
    • Laos (protectorate) (1893–1954)
    • Cambodia (protectorate) (1863–1953)
    • Vietnam
      • Cochinchina (South Vietnam) (1858–1954)
      • Annam (French protectorate) (1883–1954)
      • Tonkin (protectorate) (1884–1954)
      • Spratly Islands (1887–1954)
      • Paracel Islands (1887–1954)
• India and Sri Lanka
  • French India
    • Arkat (protectorate) (1692–1750)
    • Madras (1746–1749)
    • French Establishments of India (included 5% of current Indian territory, and the French zone of influence extended to 30% of the territory)
      • Pondichéry (1765–1954)
      • Karikal (1725–1954)
      • Mahé (1721–1954)
      • Yanaon (1723–1954)
      • Chandernagor (1673–1952)
      • Trincomalee (1782–1784)
• Taiwan
  • The city/port of Keelung (1884–1885)
  • Pescadores Islands (1885)
• Turkey
  • The Province of Cilicia (incorporated into the French Mandate of Syria) (1919–1922)
• The Philippines
  • Basilan (1845–1846)
• China
  • The territory of Kouang-Tchéou-Wan (integrated into French Indochina) (1898–1946)
  • The foreign concessions : French Concession of Shanghai (1849–1946), Tianjin (1860–1946) and Hankou (1898–1946)
  • The Spheres of French influence officially recognized by China on the provinces of Yunnan, Guangxi, Hainan, Guangdong
  • Shamian Island (1859-1949) (1/5 of Island)
• Israel
  • The French Domains of Israel (L'Eléona, crossed commanderie of Abou Gosh, Tombeau des Rois, Church of Sainte-Anne)^[9]
• Lebanon or French Lebanon (1920–1943) (French Mandate of Lebanon)
  • Mount Lebanon (1860-1864) (An international protocol fixes the autonomy of the mount Lebanon under the protection of France)^[10]
• Syria (1920–1946) (French Mandate of Syria)
  • Alawite State (1920–1936)
  • State of Aleppo (1920–1924)
  • State of Jabal Druze (1921–1936)
  • State of Damascus (1920–1924)
  • Sanjak of Alexandretta (now part of Turkey)
  • State of Greater Lebanon (now part of Lebanon) (1920–1946)
• Yemen
  • The peninsula of Cheikh Saïd (1868–1869) (territory in the Cheikh, purchase by a French-based company never completed - no official claim to jurisdiction. Yemen's sovereignty was confirmed by France in 1939.)^[8]

In Oceania

French flags in Polynesia

Flag of Anglo-French joint Naval

Flag of the Alo/Tu`a chiefdom

Flag of the Sigave chiefdom

Flag of the ʻUvea chiefdom

• French Polynesia
  • Society Islands (became a French protectorate in 1843 and a colony in 1880)
    • Otaheiti, known as Tahiti (protectorate) (1842–1880)
    • Raiatea and Tahaa (protectorate) (1880)
  • Tuamotu Archipelago
  • Marquesas Islands (under French control in 1870, and later incorporated into the territory of French Polynesia)
  • Gambier Islands
    • Mangareva (protectorate) (1844)
  • Austral Islands
    • Rurutu (Austral Islands) (protectorate) (1858–1889)^[11]
• Papua New Guinea
  • New Ireland (1880–1882) (attempt at colonization, unofficial)
• New Caledonia (1853-)
  • Chesterfield Islands
  • Matthew and Hunter Islands
  • Loyalty Islands
  • Île des Pins
• Hawaiian Islands (1837) (at the beginning of French presence there; however, the USA obliged the local Queen to treat with them instead, by means of the strength of a U.S. company of marines)
• The New Hebrides (now Vanuatu)
  • in French Protectorate (1887–1906)
  • in (Condominium (international law) Fr/UK) (1906–1980)
• Australia
  • Dirk Hartog Island (1772) (made an unofficial annexation for all Australia)^[12][13][14]
• Wallis and Futuna (1887-)
  • Kingdom of Uvea (Wallis and Futuna) (declared to be a protectorate by King of Uvea and Captain Mallet in 1842. Officially in a treaty becomes a French protectorate in 1887 until annexed in 1917)
  • Kingdom of Sigave (signed a treaty establishing a French protectorate in 1888 until annexed in 1917)
  • Kingdom of Alo (Wallis and Futuna) (signed a treaty establishing a French protectorate in 1888 until annexed in 1917)

In Antarctica

Territory claim by France in Antarctic (Adélie Land)

Flag of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands

• French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF)
  • Crozet Islands (24 January 1772^[15] -)
  • Kerguelen Islands (13 February 1772^[16] -)
  • Île Amsterdam (in 1843 but abandoned) (1892-)
  • Île Saint-Paul (in 1843 but abandoned) (1892-)
  • Adélie Land (1840-) (Sheltering one of two French Bases in Antarctica - the other one being Franco-Italian - it has borders with the Australian Antarctic Territory on both sides and divides that in two)

See also

• French Colonial Empire
• Overseas departments and territories of France
• CFA franc
• Francization
• Franco-Trarzan War of 1825
• French colonial forces
• French colonisation of the Americas
• French Colonial Union
• French Equatorial Africa
• French West Africa
• Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
• Kouang-Tchéou-Wan, a small French territory in China
• French colonial flags
• List of North American cities by year of foundation
• Former colonies and territories in Canada
• Timeline of the colonization of North America

Notes and references

1. "Maisons de Victor Hugo". Paris.fr. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
2. Google Books
3. "domaines français de Sainte-Hélène". Domfrance.helanta.sh. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
4. "Ambassade de France près le Saint-Siège | Les Pieux Établissements". France-vatican.org. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
5. http://webtice.ac-guyane.fr/histgeo/IMG/pdf/le_conteste_franco-bresilien-4.pdf
6. http://www.minefe.gouv.fr/fonds_documentaire/notes_bleues/nbb/nbb270/entente_cordiale.pdf
7. "Guerre d'Algérie (1954-1962), prélude à la guerre d'Algérie" by bernard CROCHET and Gérard PIOUFFRE
8. "Isc - Cfhm - Ihcc". Stratisc.org. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
9. "Domaines nationaux - Consulat Général de France à Jérusalem". Consulfrance-Jerusalem.org. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
10. http://expositions.bnf.fr/veo/reperes/index.htm
11. http://www.tahitiheritage.pf/fiche-drapeau-de-rurutu-24163.htm
12. "Consulter le sujet - L'Australie serait-elle française ?!... • [Forums". Francedownunder.com. Retrieved 2011-03-26.
13. Godard, Philippe; Kerros, Tugdual de; Margot, Odette; Stanbury, Myra; Baxter, Sue; Western Australian Museum; Godard, Phillippe; De Kerros, Tugdual; Margot, Odette; Stanbury, Myra; Baxter, Sue (2008), 1772 : the French annexation of New Holland : the tale of Louis de Saint Aloürn, Western Australian Museum, ISBN 978-1-920843-98-4
14. Philippe Godard, Tugdual de Kerros 2002, "Louis de Saint Aloüarn, un marin breton à la conquête des terres australes", Les Portes du large, Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande, 331-336
15. "TAAF". Taaf.fr. Retrieved 2012-01-10.
16. "Kerguelen – yves trémarec – james cook – asia – hillsborough – rhodes". Kerguelen-voyages.com.

External links

• http://www.worldstatesmen.org/COLONIES.html (English)
• http://www.stratisc.org/pub_mo2_NIEDCOLONI.html (French)
• http://www.francedownunder.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=134 (French Forum)
• http://www.maranhao.fr/index_0.php (French)
• http://www.herodote.net/histoire/evenement.php?jour=15551110 (French)
• http://www.mgm.fr/PUB/Mappemonde/M488/m2_8.pdf (French)
• http://www.topdobrasil.com.br/histoire/france-antarctique/france-antarctique.php (French)
• http://www.grandquebec.com/quebec-et-monde/france-antarctique/ (French)
• http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k109516t (French)
• http://fan2figs.blog4ever.com/blog/lire-article-226522-1184741-le_reve_de_la_france_antarctique.html (French)