Territories have historically been divided into incorporated territories and unincorporated territories. Incorporated territories are areas which are intended to become states, while unincorporated territories are not. Since the admission of Alaska and Hawaii, there are no incorporated territories of the United States.
Territories should also be distinguished from commonwealths, such as Puerto Rico and the Northern Marianas. In these areas, Congress has delegated some powers to the local population. Unlike states, these powers are not constitutionally entrenched, and the Congress has the power to withdraw those powers.
The United States territory can include illegally occupied territory, which is a geographic area that claims sovereignty, but is being illegally or forcibly subjugated to the authority of the United States of America federal government.
The United States territory can also include disputed territory, which is a geographic area claimed by United States of America federal government and one (or more) rival governments.
In the Constitution of the United States, territory is also portions of the country subject to and belonging to the United States but not within the national boundaries of any of any individual state. This includes portions of the country not included within the limits of any State and not admitted as a State into the Union. These usually are legally administered territory, which is a non-sovereign geographic area that has voluntarily come under the authority of another government. These are usually organized with a separate legislature under a Territorial governor and officers appointed by the President and Senate of the United States. For example, American Samoa is a territory of the government of the United States.
The Constitution of the United States states,
Congress possesses power to set territorial governments within the territory of the United States. The power of congress over such territory is exclusive and universal. Congress legislation is subject to no control, unless in the case of ceded territory.
All territory under the control of the federal government is considered part of the "United States" for purposes of law. The Supreme Court ruling from 1945 stated that the term "United States" can have three different meanings, in different contexts.
On March 3, 1849, during the last day of the 30th Congress, a bill was passed to create the Department of the Interior to take charge of the United States territory internal affairs. The Interior Department had a wide range of responsibilities (which include the regulation of territorial governments, the basic responsibilities for public lands, and other various duties). In one way or another all of these had to do with the internal development of the United States territory or the welfare of its people.
In contrast to similarly named Departments in other countries, the United States Department of the Interior is not responsible for local government or for civil administration except in the cases of Indian reservations.
A separate federal district under the direct authority of congress, the District of Columbia, was formed independent of any state. It is there that the nation's capital city resides. The city contains the historic Federal City and is that part that was originally designed as the National Capitol. It is part of the United States of America but not part of any state.
At the Declaration of Independence, the United States consisted of 13 states. In the following years, this number has grown steadily due to expansion to the west, conquest and purchase of lands by the American government, and division of existing states to the current number of 50:
Constitution of the United States
Congress of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
This means that the United States territory is composed of any area or region over which the federal government has jurisdiction, including the 50 states, plus all federal possessions and territories.United States Department of the Interior
United States District of Columbia
States of the United States
Main article: States of the United States
The contiguous part of the US (i.e. without Hawaii and Alaska) is called continental United States.
The states are divided into smaller administrative regions, called counties in most states - exceptions being Alaska (boroughs) and Louisiana (parishes). Counties can include a number of cities and towns, or sometimes just a part of a city. See County (United States).
See also: Geography of the United States
Dependent areas of the United States
Several islands in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea are dependent territories of the United States:
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(The term "commonwealth" expresses the political relationship between the United States and Puerto Rico and the Northern Marianas).
US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay is leased from Cuba and only mutual agreement or US abandonment of the area can terminate the lease.
US has made no territorial claim in Antarctica but has reserved the right to do so.
From July 18, 1947 until October 1, 1994, the US administered the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, but recently entered into a new political relationship with all four political units.
Historically, all of the United States of America was originally the territory of a multitude of Native American Indian tribes/nations. However, the source of this situation goes back several centuries, and includes land taken from Native Americans by the Spanish, French, Russians, Dutch, Danish and British. In the case of America, it is incorrect to hold that the Federal government of the United States of America, which only came into existence in 1776, for bein responsible for the initial issues. However, there is reportedly Native American Indian territory that is currently illegally occupied by the United States; this is said to be because this land legally belongs to various Native American Indian groups due to legally binding treaties signed between the United States of America and particular Indian tribes, which the tribes view that the United States of America later violated.
The United States is an occupying power of the following countries:
Land occupied by the United States
Main article: Occupied territories