Evolution of the French Empire
The French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule from the 17th century to the late 1970s. In terms of land area, the empire extended to over 13,000,000 km² (4,767,000 sq. miles) at its peak, towards the beginning of the 20th century.
Here is a list of all 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. When only a part of the country was under French rule, that part is listed in parentheses after the country. When there are no parentheses, it means the whole country was formerly part of any one of the French colonial empires. Countries listed are those where French sovereignty applied effectively. Areas that were only claimed, but not effectively controlled (such as Manhattan or Western Australia) are not listed.
"1st" means the country/territory was part of the first French colonial empire. "2nd" means the country/territory was part of the second French colonial empire. "Now" means this is a territory still part of the French Republic today.
The Americas
North America
- Canada (most of eastern and central Canada, see Acadia and Canada, New France) -- 1st
- Saint-Pierre and Miquelon -- 1st, 2nd, & now
- United States (entire basin of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, Great Lakes, see Louisiana (New France)) -- 1st
Caribbean
- Anguilla (briefly) -- 1st
- Antigua and Barbuda (briefly) -- 1st
- Dominica -- 1st
- Dominican Republic (briefly) -- 1st
- Grenada -- 1st
- Guadeloupe -- 1st, 2nd, & now
- Haiti -- 1st
- Martinique -- 1st, 2nd, & now
- Montserrat (briefly) -- 1st
- Saint Martin (northern half only) -- 1st, 2nd, & now
- Saint-Barthélemy -- 1st, 2nd, & now
- Saint Lucia -- 1st
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines -- 1st
- Sint Eustatius (briefly) -- 1st
- St Kitts and Nevis (St Kitts, but not Nevis) -- 1st
- Trinidad and Tobago (Tobago only) -- 1st
- US Virgin Islands (Saint Croix only) -- 1st
South America
- Brazil (Rio de Janeiro briefly, and São Luís briefly) -- 1st
(see France Antarctique and France Équinoxiale)
- French Guiana -- 1st, 2nd, & now
Africa
North Africa
Name of territory | Dates | Status | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
Algeria | 1830 | Colony | |
1848 | annexed to France | ||
1962 | Independent | ||
Morocco | 1912 | protectorate | |
1956 | Independent | ||
Tunisia | 1881 | protectorate | |
1956 | Independent | ||
West Africa
- Benin (as Dahomey) -- 2nd
- Burkina Faso (as Upper Volta)-- 2nd
- Côte d'Ivoire -- 2nd
- Guinea -- 2nd
- Mali (as French Sudan) -- 2nd
- Mauritania -- 2nd
- Niger -- 2nd
- Senegal -- 1st & 2nd
- Togo -- 2nd
Equatorial Africa
- Cameroon (91% of Cameroon) -- 2nd
- Central African Republic (as Oubangui-Chari)-- 2nd
- Chad -- 2nd
- Democratic Republic of Congo ('Congo-Kinshasa') -- 2nd
- Gabon -- 2nd
- Republic of the Congo ('Congo-Brazzaville') -- 2nd
Indian Ocean
- Comoros -- 2nd
- Madagascar -- 2nd
- Mauritius -- 1st
- Mayotte - 2nd & now
- Réunion -- 1st, 2nd, & now
- Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean - 2nd & now
- Seychelles -- 1st
- Tanzania (Zanzibar, briefly) -- 2nd
Red Sea
- Djibouti (as French Somaliland) -- 2nd
- Yemen (Cheikh Saïd peninsula)
Asia
Middle East
- Lebanon -- 2nd
- Syria -- 2nd
- Turkey (Sanjak of Alexandretta, now called Hatay Province) -- 2nd
South Asia
- India
- half of India (see French India)-- 1st
- only Pondicherry, Karikal, Yanaon, Mahé, and Chandernagore -- 2nd
East Asia
South East Asia
- Cambodia - 2nd
- Laos - 2nd
- Vietnam (as Tonkin, Annam, and Cochinchina) - 2nd
- Eastern Thailand under French Sphere of Influence - 2nd
Oceania
- Clipperton - 2nd & now
- New Caledonia -- 2nd & now
- French Polynesia -- 2nd & now
- Vanuatu (condominium shared with the British Empire) -- 2nd
- Wallis and Futuna -- 2nd & now
Antarctic Ocean
- French Southern and Antarctic Lands -- 2nd & now