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83-415: The definition of commonwealth according to 2013 United States Department of State policy, as codified in the department's Foreign Affairs Manual , reads: "The term 'Commonwealth' does not describe or provide for any specific political status or relationship. It has, for example, been applied to both states and territories. When used in connection with areas under U.S. sovereignty that are not states,

166-539: A Commonwealth realm , has used the official style Commonwealth of The Bahamas since its independence in 1973. The small Caribbean republic of Dominica has used the official style Commonwealth of Dominica since 1978. Four states of the United States of America officially designate themselves as "commonwealths". All four were part of Great Britain's possessions along the Atlantic coast of North America prior to

249-704: A resident commissioner of Puerto Rico , with voice but without vote, in the United States House of Representatives . With the exception of federal employees (such as employees of the United States Postal Service , Federal Bureau of Investigation , and servicemen in all branches of the military) and people who earn their income from outside of the U.S. territories , residents of Puerto Rico generally do not pay federal income taxes, but are required to pay all other federal taxes (such as Social Security and Medicare ) and Puerto Rico has no representation in

332-513: A "dependent sovereign nation". Territories are classified by incorporation and whether they have an "organized" government through an organic act passed by the Congress . American territories are under American sovereignty and may be treated as part of the U.S. proper in some ways and not others (i.e., territories belong to, but are not considered part of the U.S.). Unincorporated territories in particular are not considered to be integral parts of

415-532: A Commonwealth, the republic, united with the former Kingdom of Scotland , operated under different institutions (at times as a de facto monarchy) and is known by historians as the Protectorate . In a British context, it is sometimes referred to as the "Old Commonwealth". In the later 20th century a socialist political party known as the Common Wealth Party was active. Previously a similarly named party,

498-738: A GDP of $ 104.989 billion in 2019, to American Samoa, which has a GDP of $ 636 million in 2018. In 2018, Puerto Rico exported about $ 18 billion in goods, with the Netherlands as the largest destination. Guam's GDP shrank by 0.3% in 2018, the GDP of the Northern Mariana Islands shrank by 19.6% in 2018, Puerto Rico's GDP grew by 1.18% in 2019, and the U.S. Virgin Islands' GDP grew by 1.5% in 2018. In 2017, American Samoa's GDP shrank by 5.8%, but then grew by 2.2% in 2018. American Samoa has

581-571: A U.S. citizen parent. U.S. nationals without U.S. citizenship may hold U.S. passports and reside in any part of the United States without restriction. However, to become U.S. citizens they must apply for naturalization, like foreigners, and may only do so while residing in parts of the United States other than American Samoa. Foreign nationals residing in American Samoa cannot apply for U.S. citizenship or U.S. nationality at all. Each territory

664-555: A U.S. court in Puerto Rico: The United States District Court is not a true United States court established under article   3 of the Constitution to administer the judicial power of the United States   ... It is created   ... by the sovereign congressional faculty, granted under article 4, 3, of that instrument, of making all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory belonging to

747-517: A civilised divorce" between the Soviet Republics . The CIS has developed as a forum by which the member-states can co-operate in economics , defence , and foreign policy . Labour MP Tony Benn sponsored a Commonwealth of Britain Bill several times between 1991 and 2001, intended to abolish the monarchy and establish a British republic . It never reached second reading . Territories of

830-520: A federal territorial court, and so federal matters in American Samoa are sent to either the District court of Hawaii or the District court of the District of Columbia . American Samoa is the only permanently inhabited region of the United States with no federal court. While the U.S. mainland is majority non-Hispanic White , this is not the case for the U.S. territories. In 2010, American Samoa's population

913-584: A result, these territories are often considered colonies of the United States. All modern inhabited territories under the control of the federal government can be considered as part of the "United States" for purposes of law as defined in specific legislation. However, the judicial term "unincorporated" was coined to legitimize the late-19th-century territorial acquisitions without citizenship and their administration without constitutional protections temporarily until Congress made other provisions. The case law allowed Congress to impose discriminatory tax regimes with

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996-551: A short time before becoming states, while others remained territories for decades. The shortest-lived was Alabama Territory at two years, while New Mexico Territory and Hawaii Territory both lasted more than 50 years. Of the 50 states, 31 were once part of an organized, incorporated U.S. territory. In addition to the original 13, six subsequent states never were: Kentucky , Maine , and West Virginia were each separated from an existing state; Texas and Vermont were both sovereign states ( de facto sovereignty for Vermont, as

1079-576: A term referring to the Roman state as a whole. The Commonwealth of England was the official name of the political unit ( de facto military rule in the name of parliamentary supremacy) that replaced the Kingdom of England (after the English Civil War ) from 1649 to 1653 and 1659 to 1660, under the rule of Oliver Cromwell and his son and successor Richard . From 1653 to 1659, although still legally known as

1162-578: A territory of the United States. The territory was organized by the Foraker Act in 1900, which was amended by the Jones–Shafroth Act in 1917. The drafting of the Constitution of Puerto Rico by its residents was authorized by Congress in 1951, and the result approved in 1952. The government of Puerto Rico has held several referendums with the options of U.S. statehood, independence, and commonwealth;

1245-580: A title to a number of political entities. Three countries – Australia , the Bahamas , and Dominica – have the official title "Commonwealth", as do four U.S. states and two U.S. territories . Since the early 20th century, the term has been used to name some fraternal associations of states, most notably the Commonwealth of Nations , an organisation primarily of former territories of the British Empire . It

1328-454: Is a Republic (or Commonwealth) under the presidency of the King". The Commonwealth introduced a doctrine of religious tolerance called Warsaw Confederation , had its own parliament Sejm (although elections were restricted to nobility and elected kings , who were bound to certain contracts Pacta conventa from the beginning of the reign). "A commonwealth of good counsaile" was the title of

1411-635: Is a loose alliance or confederation consisting of nine of the 15 former Soviet Republics , the exceptions being Turkmenistan (a CIS associate member), Lithuania , Latvia , Estonia , Ukraine , and Georgia . Georgia left the CIS in August 2008 following the 2008 invasion of the Russian military into South Ossetia and Abkhazia . Its creation signalled the dissolution of the Soviet Union , its purpose being to "allow

1494-721: Is also used in the translation for the organisation made up of formerly Soviet states, the Commonwealth of Independent States . Informally, by analogy to the Commonwealth of Nations, the French-influenced post-colonial Organisation internationale de la Francophonie is sometimes referred to in the English language as the "French Commonwealth", although the organisation itself never uses the term. Translations of Ancient Roman writers' works to English have on occasion translated " Res publica ", and variants thereof, to "the commonwealth",

1577-615: Is disputed by Haiti , Wake Island is disputed by the Marshall Islands , Swains Island (a part of American Samoa ) is disputed by Tokelau , and Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank are both administered by Colombia, whose claim is disputed by the U.S. and Jamaica . The following two territories are claimed by multiple countries (including the United States) and are not included in ISO 3166-2:UM . However, they are sometimes grouped with

1660-719: Is in the Southern Hemisphere , while the other four are in the Northern Hemisphere . In 2020, their combined population was about 3.62 million, over 90% of which is accounted for by Puerto Rico alone. People born in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands acquire U.S. citizenship by birth , and foreign nationals residing there may apply for U.S. citizenship by naturalization . People born in American Samoa acquire U.S. nationality but not U.S. citizenship by birth if they do not have

1743-542: Is self-governing with three branches of government, including a locally elected governor and a territorial legislature. Each territory elects a non-voting member (a non-voting resident commissioner in the case of Puerto Rico) to the U.S. House of Representatives . Although they cannot vote on the passage of legislation, they can introduce legislation, have floor privileges to address the house, be members of and vote in committees, are assigned offices and staff funding, and may nominate constituents from their territories to

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1826-455: Is technically "unorganized". All of the U.S. territories without permanent non-military populations are unorganized. The Office of Insular Affairs coordinates federal administration of the U.S. territories and freely associated states, except for Puerto Rico. On March 3, 1849, the last day of the 30th Congress, a bill was passed to create the U.S. Department of the Interior to take charge of

1909-571: The American Revolution . As such, they share a strong influence of English common law in some of their laws and institutions. The four are: Two organized but unincorporated U.S. territories are called commonwealths. The two are: In 2016, the Washington, D.C. city council also selected "Douglass Commonwealth" as the potential name of State of Washington, D.C. , following the 2016 statehood referendum , at least partially in order to retain

1992-479: The Army , Naval , Air Force and Merchant Marine academies. As of the 118th Congress , the territories are represented by Aumua Amata Radewagen (R) of American Samoa, James Moylan (R) of Guam, Gregorio Sablan (D) of Northern Mariana Islands, Jenniffer González -Colón (R-PNP) of Puerto Rico and Stacey Plaskett (D) of U.S. Virgin Islands. The District of Columbia 's delegate is Eleanor Holmes Norton (D); like

2075-771: The Commonwealth Land Party , was in existence. The period of Icelandic history from the establishment of the Althing in 930 to the pledge of fealty to the Norwegian king in 1262 is usually called the Icelandic Nation ( Icelandic : Þjóðveldið ) in Icelandic and the Icelandic Commonwealth in English. In this period Iceland was colonized by a public consisting largely of recent immigrants from Norway who had fled

2158-700: The Electoral College that ultimately chooses the U.S. president and vice president. Puerto Rico has sports sovereignty, with its own national team at the Olympics and at other international competitions . Puerto Rico also participates in different international organizations such as the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) (associate member), the Organization of Ibero-American States (full member), and

2241-633: The Ibero-American Summit (associate member). In 1976, Congress approved the mutually negotiated Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in Political Union with the United States . Prior to November 28, 2009, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) did not apply in the CNMI. Rather, a separate immigration system existed in the CNMI. This system was established under

2324-703: The Kansas and Nebraska Territories, bringing organized government to the region once again. The creation of Kansas and Nebraska left the Indian Territory as the only unorganized territory in the Great Plains. In 1858, the western part of the Minnesota Territory became unorganized when it was not included in the new state of Minnesota ; this area was organized in 1861 as part of the Dakota Territory . In 1890,

2407-711: The Pacific Ocean while Navassa Island is in the Caribbean Sea . The additional claimed territories of Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank are also located in the Caribbean Sea. Palmyra Atoll (formally known as the United States Territory of Palmyra Island) is the only incorporated territory, a status it has maintained since Hawaii became a state in 1959. All are uninhabited except for Midway Atoll, whose approximately 40 inhabitants (as of 2004) were employees of

2490-412: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and their services provider; Palmyra Atoll, whose population varies from four to 20 Nature Conservancy and Fish and Wildlife staff and researchers; and Wake Island, which has a population of about 100 military personnel and civilian employees. The two-letter abbreviation for the islands collectively is "UM". The status of several islands is disputed. Navassa Island

2573-533: The United States Congress , and the United Nations . The issue revolves around whether Puerto Rico should remain a U.S. territory, become a U.S. state, or become an independent country. The debate has spawned several referendums, presidential executive orders and bills in the U.S. Congress. Ultimately the U.S. Congress is the only body empowered to decide the political status of Puerto Rico, as stated under

Commonwealth (U.S. insular area) - Misplaced Pages Continue

2656-524: The federal district ) which were given a measure of self-governance by Congress through an organic act subject to the Congress's plenary powers under the territorial clause of the Constitution's Article Four, section 3. The term unorganized was historically applied either to a newly acquired region not yet constituted as an organized incorporated territory (e.g. the Louisiana Purchase prior to

2739-505: The lowest per capita income in the United States—it has a per capita income comparable to that of Botswana . In 2010, American Samoa's per capita income was $ 6,311. As of 2010, the Manu'a District in American Samoa had a per capita income of $ 5,441, the lowest of any county or county-equivalent in the United States. In 2018, Puerto Rico had a median household income of $ 20,166 (lower than

2822-568: The 1607 English translation of the work of Wawrzyniec Grzymała Goślicki "De optimo senatore" that presented to English readers many of the ideas present in the political system of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Between 1914 and 1925, Catalonia was an autonomous region of Spain. Its government during that time was given the title mancomunidad ( Catalan : mancomunitat ), which is translated into English as "commonwealth". The Commonwealth of Catalonia had limited powers and

2905-404: The 2010s, the U.S. territories (overall) lost population. The combined population of the five inhabited territories was 4,100,594 in 2010, and 3,569,284 in 2020. The U.S. territories have high religiosity rates —American Samoa has the highest religiosity rate in the United States (99.3% religious and 98.3% Christian). The economies of the U.S. territories vary from Puerto Rico, which has

2988-617: The Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, under this law; most have been abandoned. It also has acquired territories since 1856 under other circumstances, such as under the Treaty of Paris (1898) which ended the Spanish–American War. The Supreme Court considered the constitutional position of these unincorporated territories in 1922 in Balzac v. People of Porto Rico , and said the following about

3071-505: The Constitution provides that each U.S. state is entitled to two senators, but makes no provision for representation of insular areas in the Senate. Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution apportions seats in the House of Representatives among the U.S. states by population, with each state being entitled to at least one representative, but makes no provision for representation of insular areas in

3154-586: The Court said that the U.S. Constitution did not fully apply in unincorporated territories because they were inhabited by "alien races". The U.S. had no unincorporated territories (also known as overseas possessions or insular areas) until 1856. Congress enacted the Guano Islands Act that year, authorizing the president to take possession of unclaimed islands to mine guano . The U.S. has taken control of (and claimed rights on) many islands and atolls, especially in

3237-626: The Covenant to Establish a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political Union with the United States of America ("Covenant"), which was signed in 1975 and codified as 48 U.S.C. § 1801. The covenant was unilaterally amended by the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (CNRA) approved by the U.S. Congress on May 8, 2008, thus altering the CNMI's immigration system, making the Immigration and Nationality Act

3320-521: The House. Insular areas are, however, afforded limited representation in the House by a delegate who may vote in committee but not on the House floor. The Commonwealth of the Philippines was an insular area that used "Commonwealth" in its official name, "Commonwealth of the Philippine Islands", from November 15, 1935 until July 4, 1946. The United States recognized the then-future independence of

3403-552: The Northern Mariana Islands' four municipalities, and American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents. The Census Bureau also counts each of the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands as county equivalents. For statistical purposes, the U.S. Census Bureau has a defined area called the "Island Areas" which consists of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (every major territory except Puerto Rico). The U.S. Census Bureau often treats Puerto Rico as its own entity or groups it with

Commonwealth (U.S. insular area) - Misplaced Pages Continue

3486-430: The Philippines in 1934 but called for a ten-year transitional period. Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good . The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth or the common wealth – echoed in the modern synonym "public wealth"), it comes from

3569-570: The Territorial Clause. Despite the Spanish translation of the term "commonwealth", Puerto Rico's relationship with United States is not a Compact of Free Association (which is the case for the Federated States of Micronesia , Palau , and the Marshall Islands ). As sovereign states, these islands have full right to conduct their own foreign relations, while the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is

3652-512: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands. According to the GAO, "the United States conducts maritime law enforcement operations in and around Serranilla Bank and Bajo Nuevo [Bank] consistent with U.S. sovereignty claims." Pursuant to a series of Supreme Court rulings, Congress decides whether a territory is incorporated or unincorporated. The U.S. Constitution applies to each incorporated territory (including its local government and inhabitants) as it applies to

3735-465: The U.S., and the U.S. Constitution applies only partially in those territories. The U.S. administers three territories in the Caribbean Sea and eleven in the Pacific Ocean . Five territories ( American Samoa , Guam , the Northern Mariana Islands , Puerto Rico , and the U.S. Virgin Islands ) are permanently inhabited, unincorporated territories; the other nine are small islands, atolls, and reefs with no native (or permanent) population. Of

3818-533: The United States Territories of the United States are sub-national administrative divisions overseen by the federal government of the United States . The American territories differ from the U.S. states and Indian reservations as they are not sovereign entities . In contrast, each state has a sovereignty separate from that of the federal government and each federally recognized Native American tribe possesses limited tribal sovereignty as

3901-495: The United States. The resemblance of its jurisdiction to that of true United States courts, in offering an opportunity to nonresidents of resorting to a tribunal not subject to local influence, does not change its character as a mere territorial court. In Glidden Company v. Zdanok , the Court cited Balzac and said about courts in unincorporated territories: "Upon like considerations, Article III has been viewed as inapplicable to courts created in unincorporated territories outside

3984-564: The applicable immigration law of CNMI. Transition to U.S. Immigration Law began November 28, 2009 in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). CNMI's immigration laws have been replaced by the INA and other U.S. immigration laws. U.S. insular areas are not afforded direct representation in the federal legislature, either in the Senate or in the House of Representatives . Article I, Section 3 of

4067-630: The cases of Indian reservations, through the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and island dependencies administered by the Office of Insular Affairs. The U.S. has five permanently inhabited territories: 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

4150-448: The commonwealth option won on multiple plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and 1998. In 2012, 54% of the voters did not wish to continue the present territorial status. Of the non-territorial statuses, becoming a U.S. state got 61.16% of the votes, Sovereign Free Associate State got 33.34% and Independence got 5.49%. In 2017, 97.18% voted overwhelmingly for statehood, with 1.5% for independence or free association and 1.32% for maintenance of

4233-430: The continental territories. The Court also established the doctrine of territorial incorporation, in which the Constitution applies fully to incorporated territories (such as the then-territories of Alaska and Hawaii ) and partially in the unincorporated territories of Guam , Puerto Rico , and, at the time, the Philippines (which is no longer a U.S. territory). In the 1901 Supreme Court case Downes v. Bidwell ,

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4316-404: The courts in the fifty states); it became an Article III court in 1966. This means that, unlike other U.S. territories, federal judges in Puerto Rico have life tenure. Federal courts in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands are Article IV territorial courts . The following is a list of federal territorial courts, plus Puerto Rico's court: American Samoa does not have

4399-459: The district, the territories have no vote in Congress and no representation in the Senate . Additionally, the Cherokee Nation has delegate-elect Kimberly Teehee , who has not been seated by Congress. Every four years, U.S. political parties nominate presidential candidates at conventions which include delegates from the territories. U.S. citizens living in the territories can vote for presidential candidates in these primary elections but not in

4482-408: The effect of a protective tariff upon territorial regions which were not domestic states. In 2022, the United States Supreme Court in United States v. Vaello Madero held that the territorial clause of the constitution allowed wide congressional latitude in mandating "reasonable" tax and benefit schemes in Puerto Rico and the other territories, which are different from the states, but did not address

4565-442: The establishment of Orleans Territory and the District of Louisiana ), or to a region previously part of an organized incorporated territory left "unorganized" after part of it had been organized and achieved the requirements for statehood (e.g. a large portion of Missouri Territory became unorganized territory for several years after its southeastern section became the state of Missouri ). The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 created

4648-444: The exemption of island residents from most federal income taxes provides a "rational basis" for their exclusion from eligibility for SSI payments. American Samoa is the only U.S. territory with its own immigration system (a system separate from the United States immigration system). American Samoa also has a communal land system in which 90% of the land is communally owned; ownership is based on Samoan ancestry. Except for Guam,

4731-418: The federation. Australia operates under a federal system, in which power is divided between the federal (national) government and the state governments (the successors of the six colonies). So, in an Australian context, the term "Commonwealth" (capitalised), which is often abbreviated to Cth, refers to the federal government , and "Commonwealth of Australia" is the official name of the country. The Bahamas ,

4814-421: The first time the original Latin term res publica in the context of Poland in his "Chronicles of the Kings and Princes of Poland". The name was used officially for the confederal union formed by Poland and Lithuania (1569–1795). It is also often referred as " Nobles' Commonwealth " (1505–1795, i.e., before the union). In the contemporary political doctrine of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, "our state

4897-440: The general election. The territorial capitals are Pago Pago (American Samoa), Hagåtña (Guam), Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), San Juan (Puerto Rico) and Charlotte Amalie (U.S. Virgin Islands). Their governors are Lemanu Peleti Mauga ( American Samoa ), Lou Leon Guerrero ( Guam ), Ralph Torres ( Northern Mariana Islands ), Pedro Pierluisi ( Puerto Rico ) and Albert Bryan ( U.S. Virgin Islands ). Among

4980-465: The governments of the U.S. territories following completion of the 2022 United States elections . Instances where local and national party affiliation differs, the national affiliation is listed second. Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands have unicameral territorial legislatures. Each of the five major territories has its own local court system: Of the five major territories, only Puerto Rico has an Article III federal district court (i.e., equivalent to

5063-453: The incorporated/unincorporated distinction. In a concurrence with the court's overall ruling on the propriety of the differential tax structures, one of the justices opined that it was time to overrule the incorporation doctrine, as wrongly decided and founded in racism, the dissent agreed. The U.S. Supreme Court , in its 1901–1905 Insular Cases opinions, ruled that the Constitution extended ex proprio vigore (i.e., of its own force) to

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5146-437: The inhabited territories lost population in 2020. Although the territories have higher poverty rates than the mainland U.S., they have high Human Development Indexes . Four of the five territories have another official language, in addition to English. The territories do not have administrative counties . The U.S. Census Bureau counts Puerto Rico's 78 municipalities , the U.S. Virgin Islands' three main islands, all of Guam,

5229-421: The inhabited territories, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is available only in the Northern Mariana Islands; however, in 2019 a U.S. judge ruled that the federal government's denial of SSI benefits to residents of Puerto Rico is unconstitutional. This ruling was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court , allowing for the exclusion of territories from such programs. In the decision, the court explained that

5312-525: The initials "D.C." as the state's abbreviation. The Commonwealth of Nations —formerly the British Commonwealth—is a voluntary association of 56 independent sovereign states, most of which were once part of the British Empire . The Commonwealth's membership includes both republics and monarchies. The Head of the Commonwealth is King Charles III , who also reigns as monarch directly in the 15 member states known as Commonwealth realms since his accession in 2022. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)

5395-429: The internal affairs of United States territory . The Interior Department has a wide range of responsibilities (which include the regulation of territorial governments, the basic responsibilities for public lands, and other various duties). 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

5478-413: The islands of Puerto Rico in 1898 after the Spanish–American War . In 1950, Congress enacted legislation (P.L. 81-600) authorizing Puerto Rico to hold a constitutional convention, and in 1952, the people of Puerto Rico ratified a constitution establishing a republican form of government for the island. Puerto Rico's political relationship with the U.S. has been a continuing source of debate in Puerto Rico ,

5561-556: The local governments and residents of a state. Incorporated territories are considered to be integral parts of the U.S., rather than possessions. In unincorporated territories, " fundamental rights apply as a matter of law, but other constitutional rights are not available", raising concerns about how citizens in these territories can influence politics in the United States . Selected constitutional provisions apply, depending on congressional acts and judicial rulings according to U.S. constitutional practice, local tradition, and law. As

5644-443: The mainland   ... and to the consular courts established by concessions from foreign countries". The judiciary determined that incorporation involves express declaration or an implication strong enough to exclude any other view, raising questions about Puerto Rico's status. In 1966, Congress made the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico an Article III district court . This (the only district court in

5727-561: The median household income of any state). Also in 2018, Comerío Municipality, Puerto Rico had a median household income of $ 12,812 (the lowest median household income of any populated county or county-equivalent in the U.S.) Guam has much higher incomes (Guam had a median household income of $ 48,274 in 2010.) The United States Minor Outlying Islands are small uninhabited islands, atolls , and reefs. Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll , and Wake Island are in

5810-476: The nine, only one is classified as an incorporated territory ( Palmyra Atoll ). Two additional territories ( Bajo Nuevo Bank and Serranilla Bank ) are claimed by the U.S. but administered by Colombia . Historically, territories were created to administer newly acquired land, and most eventually attained statehood . The most recent territories to become U.S. states were Alaska on January 3, 1959, and Hawaii on August 21, 1959. Politically and economically,

5893-419: The old meaning of " wealth ", which is "well-being", and was deemed analogous to the Latin res publica . The term literally meant "common well-being". In the 17th century, the definition of "commonwealth" expanded from its original sense of " public welfare " or " commonweal " to mean "a state in which the supreme power is vested in the people; a republic or democratic state ". The term evolved to become

5976-537: The region was claimed by New York) when they entered the Union; and California was part of unorganized land ceded to the United States by Mexico in 1848 at the end of the Mexican–American War . All of the five major U.S. territories are permanently inhabited and have locally elected territorial legislatures and executives and some degree of political autonomy . Four of the five are "organized", but American Samoa

6059-507: The six Australian crown colonies at the 1891 constitutional convention in Sydney . Its adoption was initially controversial, as it was associated by some with the republicanism of Oliver Cromwell ( see above ), but it was retained in all subsequent drafts of the constitution. The term was finally incorporated into law in the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 , which established

6142-486: The states and D.C. (for example, Puerto Rico has a QuickFacts page just like the states and D.C.) Puerto Rico data is collected annually in American Community Survey estimates (just like the states), but data for the other territories is collected only once every ten years. The five major inhabited territories contain the following governments and legislatures: The following is the political party status of

6225-492: The term broadly describes an area that is self-governing under a constitution of its adoption and whose right of self-government will not be unilaterally withdrawn by the U.S. Congress." Of the current U.S. insular areas , the term was first used by Puerto Rico in 1952 as its formal name in English ("Commonwealth of Puerto Rico"). The formal name in Spanish for Puerto Rico is Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico ("Free Associated State of Puerto Rico"). The United States acquired

6308-470: The territorial status . The unusually high percentage of votes for statehood was attributed to a boycott led by the pro-status quo Popular Democrats , leading to a very low turnout of 22.93%, mainly made up of pro-statehood voters. In 2020 , there were only two options on the ballot. 52.52% of voters favored Puerto Rico's immediate admission to the Union and 47.48% voted against it, with a 54.72% turnout. Puerto Ricans have American citizenship and vote for

6391-490: The territories are underdeveloped. Residents of U.S. territories cannot vote in U.S. presidential elections , and they have only non-voting representation in the U.S. Congress. According to 2012 data, territorial telecommunications and other infrastructure are generally inferior to that of the continental U.S. and Hawaii. Poverty rates are higher in the territories than in the states. Organized territories are lands under federal sovereignty (but not part of any state or

6474-673: The unification of that country under King Harald Fairhair . The Commonwealth of the Philippines was the administrative body that governed the Philippines from 1935 to 1946, aside from a period of exile in the Second World War from 1942 to 1945 when Japan occupied the country . It replaced the Insular Government , a United States territorial government, and was established by the Tydings–McDuffie Act . The Commonwealth

6557-571: The western half of the Indian Territory was organized as Oklahoma Territory . The eastern half remained unorganized until 1907, when it was joined with Oklahoma Territory to form the State of Oklahoma . Additionally, the Department of Alaska was unorganized from its acquisition in 1867 from Russia until organized as the District of Alaska in 1884; it was organized as Alaska Territory in 1912. Hawaii

6640-468: Was 92.6% Pacific Islander (including 88.9% Samoan ); Guam's population was 49.3% Pacific Islander (including 37.3% Chamorro ) and 32.2% Asian (including 26.3% Filipino ); the population of the Northern Mariana Islands was 34.9% Pacific Islander and 49.9% Asian; and the population of the U.S. Virgin Islands was 76.0% African American . In 2019, Puerto Rico's population was 98.9% Hispanic or Latino , 67.4% white, and 0.8% non-Hispanic white. Throughout

6723-534: Was also unorganized from the time of its annexation by the U.S. in 1898 until organized as Hawaii Territory in 1900. Regions that have been admitted as states under the United States Constitution in addition to the original thirteen were, most often, prior to admission, territories or parts of territories of this kind. As the United States grew, the most populous parts of the organized territory would achieve statehood. Some territories existed only

6806-487: Was designed as a transitional administration in preparation for the country's full achievement of independence, which was achieved in 1946. The Commonwealth of the Philippines was a founding member of the United Nations . Republic is still an alternative translation of the traditional name Rzeczpospolita of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . Wincenty Kadłubek (Vincent Kadlubo, 1160–1223) used for

6889-414: Was formed as a federation of the four Catalan provinces. A number of Catalan-language institutions were created during its existence. Between 1838 and 1847, Liberia was officially known as the "Commonwealth of Liberia". It changed its name to the "Republic of Liberia" when it declared independence (and adopted a new constitution) in 1847. "Commonwealth" was first proposed as a term for a federation of

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