Legal Definitions - territory

Territory refers to a specific geographical area that is under the control and jurisdiction of a particular government. It can also refer to a part of the United States that is not included within any state but has a separate legislature.

• Non-self-governing territory: This refers to a territory that is governed by another country and is rarely allowed representation in the governing country's legislature. For example, Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States but does not have voting representation in Congress.
• Trust territory: This refers to a territory that was once administered by the United Nations or a member state for the political, economic, educational, and social advancement of its inhabitants. All territories that were subject to this system either became independent nations or opted to become part of another nation. For example, Palau was a trust territory of the United States before becoming an independent nation in 1994.
• U.S. territories: These are parts of the United States that are not included within any state but have a separate legislature. Examples include Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

These examples illustrate how territory can refer to different types of geographical areas that are under the control of a particular government or organization. They also show how territories can have different levels of autonomy and representation within their governing bodies.