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List of French possessions and colonies

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about every French colonial possession in history. For the current French overseas possessions, see Overseas France.

From the 16th to the 17th centuries, the First French colonial empire existed mainly in the Americas and Asia. During the 19th and 20th centuries, the second French colonial empire existed mainly in Africa and Asia. France had about 80 colonies throughout its history, the second most colonies in the world behind only the British Empire.[1] Around 40 countries gained independence from France throughout its history, the second most in the world behind only the British Empire.[2] Over 50% of the world’s borders today, were drawn as a result of British and French imperialism.[3][4][5]

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. 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 Occupation of Algeria 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; 491 years ago (1534) to the present, either entirely or in part, either under French sovereignty or as mandate.

In the Americas

Further information: List of French forts in North America and Company of the American Islands
See also: Former colonies and territories in Canada and Timeline of the colonization of North America
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Map of the northern part and upper southern parts of the Americas, showing the results of the expeditions of Father Marquette and Louis Jolliet (1673) and of Cavelier de la Salle in the Mississippi valley (1681).
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Map of the territories having been controlled by France in North America.
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This map shows the Louisiana Purchase area, which corresponds approximately with the western half of colonial French Louisiana, the part not ceded to English-speaking peoples in 1763.
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Taking up of the Louisiana by La Salle in the name of the Kingdom of France
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New France at its greatest extent in 1710.

In Southern Europe

In Africa

Main article: French Africa
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Map of French colonies in Africa (in green)
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Map of territories that have been French in the south of Africa throughout history

French North Africa

French West Africa

French Equatorial Africa

East Africa and Indian Ocean

In Asia

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Map of territories that have been French in Asia throughout history

In Oceania

In Antarctica

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Territory claim by France in Antarctic (Adélie Land)

See also

Notes and references

External links

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