Dependent area

Dependent areas are territories that for some reason do not enjoy full independence or sovereignty as states. There are varying degrees and forms of such a dependence:

• List of dependent territories that enjoy some form of autonomy, like overseas territories or colonies
• List of subnational entities that represent subdivisions of a country
• List of non-independent areas like disputed or occupied territories

Dependent territories are commonly distinguished from subnational entities of the same country since they in most cases represent a different orders of separation. A subnational entity typically represents a division of the country proper, while a dependent territory might be an overseas territory that enjoys a greater degree of autonomy. The areas separately referred to as non-independent are territories that are disputed, occupied, having a government in exile or with a non-negligable independence movement.

See also: List of countries