Foreign establishments are not legally part of a country's territory under its laws, but are under the physical control of the country. Foreign military bases, and embassies are common examples. Another relevant example is the Panama Canal (currently under the state of Panama). Under U.S. control, the canal was still a part of the country of Panama, and the laws of the United States did not apply there. Hong Kong under the United Kingdom before 1997 is also an example.
By contrast, French Overseas Departments are considered part of the French Republic itself. French Guiana, for example, elects representives to the French Parliament and is part of the European Union, despite being in South America.
List of foreign establishments
See also
