List of French possessions and colonies
![]() | This article includes a list of generalreferences,butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations.(March 2011) |
From the 16th to the 17th centuries, the FirstFrench colonial empirestretched from a total area at its peak in 1680 to over 10,000,000 km2(3,900,000 sq mi), the second largest empire in the world at the time behind only theSpanish Empire.[1][2]During the 19th and 20th centuries, theFrench colonial empirewas again the second largest colonial empire in the world only behind theBritish Empire;it extended over 13,500,000 km2(5,200,000 sq mi)[3][4]of land at its height in the 1920s and 1930s. However, on the eve of World War II, France and her colonial possessions totalled only 150 million inhabitants, in terms of population compared with 330 million for British India alone. The total area of the Frenchcolonial empire,with the first (mainly in theAmericasandAsia) and second (mainly inAfricaandAsia), the French colonial empires combined, reached 24,000,000 km2(9,300,000 sq mi), thesecond largest empirein the world and human history (the first being theBritish Empire).[5][6]TheFrench colonial empirehad an enormous impact onworld history.Francehad about 80 colonies throughout itshistory,the second most colonies in the world behind only theBritish Empire.[7]Around 40 countries gained independence fromFrancethroughout its history, the second most in the world behind only theBritish Empire.[8]Over 50% of the world’s borders today, were drawn as a result of British and French imperialism.[9][10][11]InStuart Laycock’s book, All the Countries We've Ever Invaded: And the Few We Never Got Round To, he cites that 90% of the world's countries have suffered a British invasion at some point in their history, with only 22 spared. France is the nearest rival to Britain's record with 80% of the world’s countries invaded by France with only 43 spared.[12]
France began to establish colonies in North America, the Caribbean and India, following Spanish and Portuguese successes during theAge of Discovery,in rivalry with Britain. A series of wars with Britain during the 18th century and early 19th century, which France finally lost, almost ended its colonial ambitions in these regions, and without it what some historians term the "first" French colonial empire. In the 19th century, starting with the conquest of Algiers in 1830, France began to establish a new empire in Africa and Southeast Asia.
The following is a list of all countries that were part of the French colonial empires from 1534
to the present, either entirely or in part, either under French sovereignty or as mandate.![]() |
In the Americas[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Claude_Bernou_Carte_de_lAmerique_septentrionale.jpg/220px-Claude_Bernou_Carte_de_lAmerique_septentrionale.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/New_France_Colonies_Map.svg/220px-New_France_Colonies_Map.svg.png)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Frank_bond_1912_louisiana_and_the_louisiana_purchase.jpg/220px-Frank_bond_1912_louisiana_and_the_louisiana_purchase.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b5/Lasalle_au_Mississippi.jpg/220px-Lasalle_au_Mississippi.jpg)
- Present-dayCanada
- New France(1534–1763)
- Present-dayUnited States
- TheFort Saint Louis(Texas) (1685–1689)
- Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands(1650–1733)
- Fort CarolineinFrench Florida(occupation by Huguenots) (1562–1565)
- VincennesandFort Ouiatenonin Indiana
- French Louisiana
- Louisiana (New France)(1672–1764)
- Present-dayBrazil
- France Équinoxiale(Bay of São Luis) (1610–1615)
- Theisland of Saint Alexis(1531)
- France Antarctique,toFort Coligny(Rio de Janeiro Bay; intended as a haven for Huguenots) (1555–1567)
- Île Delphine's island (1736–1737)
- Present-dayHaiti
- St. Domingue(1627–1804)
- Present-dayDominican Republic(1795–1809)
- Present-daySuriname
- Tapanahony(District ofSipaliwini) (Controversial Franco-Dutch in favour of theNetherlands) (25.8% of the current territory) (1814)
- Present-daySaint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Christopher Island(1628–1690, 1698–1702, 1706, 1782–1783)
- Nevis(1782–1784)
- Present-dayAntigua and Barbuda
- Antigua(briefly in 1666)
- Present-dayTrinidad and Tobago
- Tobago(1666–1667, 1781–1793, 1802–1803)
- Dominica(1625–1763, 1778–1783)
- Grenada(1650–1762, 1779–1783)
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines(1719–1763, 1779–1783)
- Saint Lucia(1650–1723, 1756–1778, 1784–1803)
- Montserrat(1666, 1712)
- Falkland Islands(1504, 1701, 1764–1767)
- Îles des Saintes(1648–present)
- Marie-Galante(1635–present)
- la Désirade(1635–present)
- Guadeloupe(1635–present)
- Martinique(1635–present)
- French Guiana(1604–present)
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon(1604–1713, 1763–present)
- Collectivity of Saint Martin(1624–present)
- Saint Barthélemy(1648–1784, 1878–present)
- Clipperton Island(1858–present)
InSouthern Europe[edit]
In Africa[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Map_of_Africa_%282674833839%29.jpg/220px-Map_of_Africa_%282674833839%29.jpg)
French North Africa[edit]
- French Algeria(1830–1962)
- Protectorate of Tunisia(1881–1956)
- Protectorate in Morocco(1912–1956)
French West Africa[edit]
- LiberiaLiberia Boundary Treaty was signed
- GuineaorFrench Guinea(1847–1958)
- Ivory Coast(1843–1960)
- DahomeyorFrench Dahomey(nowBenin) (1883–1960)
- Independent ofDahomey,under French protectorate in 1889
- Porto-Novo(protectorate) (1863–1865, 1882)
- Cotonou(protectorate) (1868)
- French Sudan(nowMali) (1883–1960)
- Senegambia and Niger(1902–1904)
- Mauritania(1902–1960)
- Adraremirate (protectorate) (1909)
- TheTagantconfederation's emirate (protectorate) (1905)
- Braknaconfederation's emirate (protectorate)
- Emirate of Trarza(protectorate) (1902)
- Niger(1890–1960)
- Sultanate of Damagaram(Zinder) (protectorate) (1899)
- Senegal(1677–1960)
- French Upper Volta(nowBurkina Faso) (1896–1960)
- French Togoland(1918–1960) (formerly aGerman colony,mandatebecame a French colony) (nowTogo)
- Nigeria
- TheEnclaves of Forcados and Badjibo(territory under a lease of 30 years) (1900–1927)
- The Emirate of Muri(Northeast ofNigeria) (1892–1893)
- Gambia
- Albreda(1681–1857)
- Kunta Kinteh Island(1695–1697, 1702)
French Equatorial Africa[edit]
- Chad(1900–1960)
- Oubangui-Chari(currentlyCentral African Republic) (1905–1960)
- Dar al Kuti(protectorate) (1897) (in 1912 its sultanate was suppressed by the French)
- Sultanate ofBangassou(protectorate) (1894)
- Present-dayThe Republic of Congo,thenFrench Congo(1875–1960)
- Gabon(1839–1960)
- French Cameroon(91% of currentCameroon) (1918–1960) (formerly aGerman colony,Mandate,Protectoratethen French Colony)
- São Tomé and Príncipe(1709)
East Africa and Indian Ocean[edit]
- Madagascar(1896–1960)
- Kingdom ofImerina(protectorate) (1896)
- Isle de France(1715–1810) (nowMauritius)
- Djibouti(French Somaliland) (the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas) (French Somalia) (1862–1977)
- Mayotte(1841–present)
- Seychelles(1756–1810)
- Chagos Archipelago(1721–1745, 1768–1814)
- TheScattered Islands(Banc du Geyser,Bassas da India,Europa Island,Juan de Nova Island,Glorioso Islands,Tromelin Island)
- Comoros(1866–1975)
- Réunion(1710–present)
In Asia[edit]
This sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(March 2018) |
- French Indochina
- French Indochinese Union(1887–1954)
- Laos (protectorate)(1893–1953)
- Cambodia (protectorate)(1863–1953)
- Cochinchina(Southern Vietnam) (1858–1949)
- Annam (protectorate)(Central Vietnam) (1883–1949)
- Tonkin (protectorate)(Northern Vietnam) (1884–1949)
- State of Vietnam(1949–1954)
- Spratly Islands(1933–1939)
- Paracel Islands(1933–1939)
- Some territories in the eastern part ofThailand(independent state, but afterFranco-Siamese conflict of 1893,Thailand has lost 3 provinces during the next 15 years)
- Chanthaburi Province(1893-1904)
- Trat Province(1904-1907)
- Dan Sai District(in the area of theLoei Province:1903-1907)
- French Indochinese Union(1887–1954)
- India
- French Establishments of India,composed ofPondichéry(1765–1954);Karikal(1725–1954);Mahé(1721–1954)Yanaon(1723–1954);Chandannagar(1673–1952)
- China
- The territory ofKouang-Tchéou-Wan,a dependency ofFrench Indochina) (1898–1945)
- SyriaorFrench Syria(1920–1946) (French Mandate of Syria)
In Oceania[edit]
- French Polynesia
- Society Islands(became a French protectorate in 1843 and a colony in 1880)
- Tuamotu Archipelago
- Marquesas Islands(under French control in 1870, and later incorporated into the territory ofFrench Polynesia)
- Gambier Islands
- Mangareva(protectorate) (1844/1871)
- Austral Islands
- Rurutu (Austral Islands)(protectorate) (1858–1889)[13]
- Papua New Guinea
- New Ireland(1880–1882) (attempt at colonization, unofficial)
- New Caledonia
- TheNew Hebrides(Vanuatu)
- Anglo-Frenchcondominium(1906–1980)
- Australia
- Dirk Hartog Island(1772) (made an unofficial annexation for all Australia)[14][15][16]
- Wallis and Futuna(1887–present)
In Antarctica[edit]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/af/Antarctica%2C_France_territorial_claim.svg/220px-Antarctica%2C_France_territorial_claim.svg.png)
- French Southern and Antarctic Lands(TAAF)
- Crozet Islands(24 January 1772[17]– present)
- Kerguelen Islands(13 February 1772[18]– present)
- Île Amsterdam(in 1843 but abandoned) (1892–present)
- Île Saint-Paul(in 1843 but abandoned) (1892–present)
- Adélie Land(1840–present) (sheltering one of two French Bases in Antarctica, the other one being Franco-Italian) (that borders with theAustralian Antarctic Territoryon both sides and divides that in two)
See also[edit]
- First French Empire
- Second French Empire
- CFA franc
- Franco-Trarzan War of 1825
- French Africa
- French colonial flags
- French Colonial Union
- French colonization of the Americas
- Kouang-Tchéou-Wan– a small French territory in China
- Organisation internationale de la Francophonie
- Overseas France
- Timeline of the European colonization of North America
- Troupes coloniales– French colonial forces
Notes and references[edit]
- ^"Western colonialism - European expansion since 1763".Encyclopedia Britannica.Retrieved2021-08-20.
- ^Havard, Vidal, Histoire de L’Amérique française, Flammarion, 2003, p. 67.
- ^Robert Aldrich,Greater France: A History of French Overseas Expansion(1996) p 304
- ^Melvin E. Page, ed. (2003).Colonialism: An International Social, Cultural, and Political Encyclopedia.ABC-CLIO. p. 218.ISBN9781576073353.Archivedfrom the original on 19 November 2021.Retrieved23 December2021.
- ^Robert Aldrich,Greater France: A History of French Overseas Expansion(1996) p 304
- ^Melvin E. Page, ed. (2003).Colonialism: An International Social, Cultural, and Political Encyclopedia.ABC-CLIO. p. 218.ISBN9781576073353.Archivedfrom the original on 19 November 2021.Retrieved23 December2021.
- ^Shillington, Kevin (2005). Encyclopedia of African history. New York: CRC Press, p. 878
- ^David Armitage,The Declaration of Independence in World Context,Organization of American Historians,Magazine of History,Volume 18, Issue 3, Pp. 61–66 (2004)
- ^Manning, Patrick (1990).Slavery and African Life: Occidental, Oriental, and African Slave Trades.London: Cambridge University Press.
- ^Lovejoy, Paul E. (2012). Transformations of Slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa. London: Cambridge University Press.
- ^Martin Klein, "Slave Descent and Social Status in Sahara and Sudan", inReconfiguring Slavery: West African Trajectories,ed. Benedetta Rossi (Liverpool:Liverpool University Press,2009), 29.
- ^Seymour, Richard,"The British have invaded 90% of the world's countries. Ha ha?",The Guardian (London), 6 November 2012
- ^"Drapeau de Rurutu - Tahiti Heritage".www.tahitiheritage.pf.Archived fromthe originalon 10 October 2014.Retrieved23 September2017.
- ^"Consulter le sujet - L'Australie serait-elle française?!... • [Forums".Francedownunder.com.Retrieved2011-03-26.
- ^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,ISBN978-1-920843-98-4
- ^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
- ^"TAAF".Taaf.fr. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-01-20.Retrieved2012-01-10.
- ^"Kerguelen – yves trémarec – james cook – asia – hillsborough – rhodes".Kerguelen-voyages.com. Archived fromthe originalon 2013-10-02.
External links[edit]
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