Geography of France/The French Antilles and French Guiana

The French territories and regions in the Caribbean sea, sometimes referred to as the "French West Indies".

From Corsica we move away from Europe and to the Americas, into the Caribbean sea, specifically the Lesser Antilles, stretching from Puerto Rico south to Venezuela. This fractured archipelago was snapped up during the European land grab for the Americas by the colonial powers, of which France was one. France has managed to retain many of these islands today, now as integral parts of France.

The different regions and collectivities, sometimes collectively referred to as the "French West Indies", are discussed below from north to south, starting with Saint Martin.

French Guiana

Saint Martin

Saint Martin, or Saint-Martin in French, is the northern most of France's Caribbean territories. Saint Martin is an Overseas Collectivity of France, but until 2007 it was part of the Overseas Region of Guadeloupe.