Dependent territories of the United Kingdom

There are a number of dependent territories of the United Kingdom throughout the world. As dependencies they are not part of the UK proper, but nor are they independent states. Each has its own distinct legally defined relationship with the UK, with the British monarch as head of state. The phrase "British Dependent Territories" was formerly used specifically for what are as of 26 February 2002 termed the "British Overseas Territories". These territories fall into two broad categories:-

British Overseas Territories

Main article: British Overseas Territories

These former parts of the British Empire are not part of the UK proper, but the British crown and parliament has full sovereignty over each. They have varying degrees of delegated internal self-governance. The UK counts a total of 14 such territories. This includes the UK's view that its Antarctic claim is a dependency, though internationally its legal status is governed by the Antarctic Treaty.

• Anguilla
• Bermuda
• British Indian Ocean Territory
• Cayman Islands
• Falkland Islands
• Gibraltar
• Montserrat
• Pitcairn Islands
• Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
  • Saint Helena
  • Ascension Island
  • Tristan da Cunha
• South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
• Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• British Virgin Islands
• The British Antarctic Territory

Crown Dependencies

Main article: Crown Dependencies

The Crown Dependencies are self-governing possessions of the British Crown with their own legislative assemblies. They were not part of the British Empire, but have a much older relationship as subjects of the English Crown.

• Bailiwick of Guernsey
• Bailiwick of Jersey
• Isle of Man

See also

• Crown colony, an obsolete term for the Overseas Territories, and historically many others with a similar status.
• Commonwealth of Nations, former parts of the British Empire which are now fully independent countries, many now republics.
• Commonwealth realms, those of the above countries which retain the same monarch as the United Kingdom.

Sources

• Great Britain (2012). The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability. Cm (Series) (Great Britain. Parliament). Stationery Office. ISBN 978-0-10-183742-2. Retrieved 2024-06-03.