What are the 16 US territories?

The United States currently administers 16 insular areas as territories:

• American Samoa.
• Guam.
• Northern Mariana Islands.
• Puerto Rico.
• United States Virgin Islands.
• Minor Outlying Islands. Bajo Nuevo Bank. Baker Island. Howland Island. Jarvis Island. Johnston Atoll. Kingman Reef. Midway Islands. Navassa Island. Palmyra Atoll.

Does the Constitution apply to US territories?

In addition, the Supreme Court long ago decided that “fundamental” personal rights declared in the Constitution apply to citizens of “U.S. territories. Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Northern Mari- anas have adopted constitutions; the Virgin Islands and Guam have not.

Does the US have overseas territories?

The U.S. has five permanently inhabited territories: Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands in the North Pacific Ocean, and American Samoa in the South Pacific Ocean.

What is an overseas dependency?

foreign dependency, global power structure in which weaker countries are economically reliant on stronger countries, allowing the stronger countries to exercise significant control over the weaker countries’ economic and political behaviour.

How are U.S. territories different from US states?

Much like states in the U.S., the territories also have their own governments and elect their own governors. Unlike states, the territories do not have a vote in Congress. The territories also send delegates to political conventions, such as those to nominate presidential candidates.

What powers do territories have?

In the territories, Congress has the entire dominion and sovereignty, national and local, and has full legislative power over all subjects upon which a state legislature might act.

Do US territories have the same rights as US citizens?

Residents of some territories are U.S. citizens by birth; others are not. Residents of some territories have a right to a trial by jury under the U.S. Constitution; others do not. It all comes down to each territory’s unique relationship with Congress and the rights afforded to each one by statute or by court ruling.

Are citizens of US territories US citizens?

The result is a patchwork of uneven constitutional protections across the five remaining territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands. Residents of some territories are U.S. citizens by birth; others are not.

How is being a U.S. territory different than being a US state?

Much like states in the U.S., the territories also have their own governments and elect their own governors. Unlike states, the territories do not have a vote in Congress. However, the territories have no electoral votes in the presidential election.

What countries are not dependent?

Unlike the country’s dependent territory (Bouvet Island) and Antarctic claims (see above), Svalbard is a part of the Kingdom of Norway. This Arctic archipelago is the northernmost permanent civilian settlement in the world.