Territories of the United States

The Territories of the United States are areas governed by the U.S. government but are not states. They include islands and other lands that belong to the country but are not part of any state. These areas have their own special rules and leaders, but the U.S. Congress makes the most important decisions for them.

There are many U.S. territories, most of which are islands in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Five of these territories, like Puerto Rico and Guam, have people living on them all the time. Others are small islands that do not have permanent residents.

People living in U.S. territories cannot vote for the President of the United States, and they do not have full voting rights in Congress. Life in these areas can be different from life in the mainland United States. Some territories, like American Samoa, have good health because of their traditional ways of living.

Organized vs. unorganized territories

For a list of former organized territories, see Historical regions of the United States § Former organized territories.

Definitions

Organized territories are lands ruled by the federal government but not part of any state or the federal district. They get some self-governance from Congress. Unorganized territories are areas that do not yet have this kind of government. This can happen when new land is added to the country, like the Louisiana Purchase. It can also happen when part of an organized area becomes a state, leaving the rest without organized government.

Historical practice

The Kansas–Nebraska Act in 1854 created governments for Kansas and Nebraska. This left the Indian Territory as the only unorganized area in the Great Plains. Later, parts of other territories became organized as new states formed. For example, the western part of the Minnesota Territory became unorganized in 1858 but was later included in the Dakota Territory in 1861. The Department of Alaska was unorganized after the U.S. bought it from Russia in 1867 until it became the District of Alaska in 1884 and then the Alaska Territory in 1912. Hawaii was unorganized after the U.S. took control in 1898 until it became a territory in 1900.

Many states were once territories before they joined the United States. Some became states quickly, like Alabama Territory. Others, like New Mexico Territory and Hawaii Territory, stayed territories for over 50 years. Out of the 50 states, 31 were once organized territories. Some states, like Kentucky, Maine, and West Virginia, were created from existing states. Texas and Vermont were independent when they joined the U.S., and California was part of land the U.S. gained from Mexico in 1848 after the Mexican–American War.

Federal administration of current territories

The five main U.S. territories all have people living there permanently and have their own local governments. Four of them are organized, but American Samoa is unorganized. Territories without permanent residents are also unorganized.

The Office of Insular Affairs helps manage the U.S. territories and some other areas, except for Puerto Rico.

In 1849, the U.S. created the U.S. Department of the Interior to handle the affairs of U.S. territories. This department has many jobs, including overseeing territorial governments, managing public lands, and other duties. Unlike in some other countries, the U.S. Department of the Interior does not handle local government except for special areas like Indian reservations, which are managed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and island territories managed by the Office of Insular Affairs.

Permanently inhabited territories

The U.S. has five territories where people live all the time: 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. American Samoa is below the equator, while the other four are above it. In 2020, about 3.62 million people lived in these places, most of them in Puerto Rico.

People born in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands are U.S. citizens from birth. Those born in American Samoa are U.S. nationals but not citizens at first. They can become citizens later by applying. Everyone can use a U.S. passport and live anywhere in the United States.

Each territory has its own government with a governor and a group of leaders called a legislature. They each send one person to the U.S. House of Representatives who can talk and help with projects but cannot vote on final decisions.

History

• American Samoa: Became a territory in 1900 after a war. The U.S. Navy controlled it for many years, but now it has its own local government.
• Guam: Became a territory in 1899 after a war. It has its own government and is home to important military bases.
• Northern Mariana Islands: Became a U.S. area in 1986. It was ruled by Spain, Germany, Japan, and then the United States.
• Puerto Rico: Became a U.S. territory in 1899 and a commonwealth in 1952. People there have been U.S. citizens since 1917.
• U.S. Virgin Islands: The U.S. bought them from Denmark in 1917. People there have been U.S. citizens since 1927.

Statistics

Except for Guam, the other territories had fewer people in 2020 than in 2010. They often have higher poverty rates than the mainland U.S. but also have good health and education.

The U.S. Census Bureau groups these areas for data, but Puerto Rico is often treated separately.

The territories do not have counties like states do. The Census Bureau counts areas such as municipalities in Puerto Rico and districts in American Samoa as similar to counties.

Governments and legislatures

See also: Politics of American Samoa, Politics of Guam, Politics of the Northern Mariana Islands, Politics of Puerto Rico, and Politics of the United States Virgin Islands

The five major inhabited territories each have their own local governments and legislatures.

Political party status

The political parties in each territory after the 2024 United States elections are shown below.

Courts

Each territory has its own court system. Only Puerto Rico has a federal court like those in the states. The others have special territorial courts.

Demographics

See also: Demographics of American Samoa, Demographics of Guam, Demographics of the Northern Mariana Islands, Demographics of Puerto Rico, and Demographics of the United States Virgin Islands

The populations of these territories are very different from the mainland U.S. American Samoa is mostly Pacific Islander, Guam has many Pacific Islanders and Asians, the Northern Mariana Islands has many Asians, the U.S. Virgin Islands has many African Americans, and Puerto Rico has a majority of Hispanic or Latino people.

Economies

See also: Economy of American Samoa, Economy of Guam, Economy of the Northern Mariana Islands, Economy of Puerto Rico, and Economy of the United States Virgin Islands

Puerto Rico has the largest economy among the territories, while American Samoa has the smallest. Some territories have seen their economies grow, while others have shrunk in recent years. American Samoa has the lowest incomes, while Guam has relatively higher incomes.

Minor Outlying Islands

Main article: United States Minor Outlying Islands

The United States Minor Outlying Islands are small islands, atolls, and reefs. Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Island are in the Pacific Ocean. Navassa Island is in the Caribbean Sea. The additional claimed territories of Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank are also in the Caribbean Sea.

Palmyra Atoll is the only incorporated territory. All these islands have no people living on them except Midway Atoll. Midway Atoll has workers from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Palmyra Atoll sometimes has people, and Wake Island has about 100 military workers and other employees. The short name for all these islands is "UM".

Some islands have arguments about who owns them. Haiti argues about Navassa Island. The Marshall Islands argue about Wake Island. Tokelau argues about Swains Island, which is part of American Samoa. Colombia says it controls Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank, but the U.S. also claims them.

Claimed territories

The next two territories are claimed by many countries, including the United States. They are not part of ISO 3166-2:UM. But they are sometimes listed with the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands.

Incorporated vs. unincorporated territories

See also: Unincorporated area § Insular areas

The U.S. government decides if a territory is incorporated or unincorporated. The U.S. Constitution fully applies to incorporated territories, just like it does to states. The only incorporated territory is Palmyra Atoll.

In unincorporated territories, some rights apply, but not all. This means people there may not have the same political rights as those in states. These areas are sometimes seen as under special control by the United States.

The idea of “unincorporated” helps explain how the U.S. manages new areas without giving them full rights right away. In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court said Congress has wide powers to decide taxes and benefits for places like Puerto Rico, but did not change their incorporated status. One judge thought it was time to change these old rules because they were unfair.

Former unincorporated territories and administered areas

Former unincorporated territories

Some places were once under U.S. control but are not anymore. The Swan Islands were claimed from 1863 to 1972 and then given to Honduras. The Republic of Hawaii became a U.S. territory in 1900 and later became a state. The Philippines were under U.S. control from 1898 to 1946, when they became independent.

Former U.S.-administered areas

The United States also helped manage other areas for a time. The Panama Canal area was under U.S. control until 1999. The Corn Islands were leased to the U.S. but returned to Nicaragua in 1971. The Canton and Enderbury Islands were shared between the U.S. and the United Kingdom until 1979. The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands included places like the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau, which are now independent but have special ties to the U.S. The Nanpō Islands and Marcus Island were returned to Japan in 1968, as were the Ryukyu Islands and Daitō Islands in 1972.

Former U.S. military occupations

The U.S. also had temporary control over several places during wars. This included Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam after the Spanish–American War. Other places included Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. The U.S. also had roles in places in Europe during World War II. There were also occupations in Korea, Germany, Japan, and Vienna. The list includes many other locations where the U.S. had temporary military control.

Flora and fauna

Further information: Fauna of the United States § Territories

The U.S. territories have many special plants and animals that are not found anywhere else in the country. All of these places have warm, tropical weather.

Forests

Forests in the U.S. territories include tropical, coastal, and mangrove forests. These forests sometimes face challenges from new buildings and plants from other places. El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico is the only tropical rain forest in the United States National Forest system. American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands have a lot of forest cover.

Birds

See also: List of birds of American Samoa, List of birds of Guam, List of birds of the Northern Mariana Islands, List of birds of Puerto Rico, List of birds of the U.S. Virgin Islands, List of birds of the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, and List of birds of the United States

U.S. territories are home to many special birds that live only in these areas. Some birds in Puerto Rico include the Puerto Rican parrot and the Puerto Rican flycatcher. The Northern Mariana Islands have birds like the Mariana swiftlet and the golden white-eye. American Samoa has birds such as the many-colored fruit dove.

Other animals

See also: List of mammals of American Samoa, List of mammals of Guam, List of mammals of the Northern Mariana Islands, List of mammals of Puerto Rico, List of mammals of the U.S. Virgin Islands, List of mammals of the United States Minor Outlying Islands, List of reptiles of American Samoa, List of reptiles of Puerto Rico, Fauna of Puerto Rico, and Fauna of the U.S. Virgin Islands

American Samoa has reptiles like the Pacific boa and the Pacific slender-toed gecko. It also has mammals such as the Pacific sheath-tailed bat and whales like the Humpback whale. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands have mammals like the Mariana fruit bat and sea animals such as Fraser's dolphin. Puerto Rico has the common coquí frog, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have many fish species.

Protected areas

There are two National Parks in the U.S. territories: the National Park of American Samoa, and Virgin Islands National Park. The National Park Service also manages War in the Pacific National Historical Park on Guam. Other protected areas include National Natural Landmarks, National Wildlife Refuges such as Guam National Wildlife Refuge, El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico, and the Pacific Islands Heritage Marine National Monument, which includes the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands.

Public image

The United Nations has a list of places that are not fully independent. This list includes three U.S. territories: American Samoa, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands. Puerto Rico was taken off this list in 1952 when it became a Commonwealth. The Northern Mariana Islands were removed in 1990.

A writer named Doug Mack noticed that people in the United States used to talk about these territories a lot more. He wondered why they don’t get as much attention today. Some leaders, like Representative Stephanie Murphy from Florida, have said that because these places don’t have full political power—like representatives in Congress or a vote for president—they are sometimes ignored or treated as less important.

Some people have described the U.S. territories as being like “third-class citizens” because they don’t have the same democratic rights as other Americans. Many people in the mainland United States don’t always think about these territories, which can make them feel left out.

Galleries

Members of the House of Representatives (non-voting)

• Amata Coleman Radewagen (R), (American Samoa)
• James Moylan (R), (Guam)
• Kimberlyn King-Hinds (R), (Northern Mariana Islands)
• Pablo Hernández Rivera (D), (Puerto Rico)
• Stacey Plaskett (D), (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Territorial governors

• Pula Nikolao Pula (R), (American Samoa)
• Lou Leon Guerrero (D), (Guam)
• David M. Apatang (I), (Northern Mariana Islands)
• Jenniffer González-Colón (PNP-R), (Puerto Rico)
• Albert Bryan Jr. (D), (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Satellite images

• Tutuila and Aunu'u (American Samoa)
• Guam
• Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands)
• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• Baker Island
• Howland Island
• Jarvis Island
• Johnston Atoll
• Kingman Reef
• Midway Atoll
• Navassa Island
• Palmyra Atoll
• Wake Island

Maps

• American Samoa
• Guam
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands
• U.S. exclusive economic zone