The British Overseas Territories (also known as United Kingdom Overseas Territories) are fourteen territories* of the United Kingdom which, although they do not form part of the United Kingdom itself, fall under its jurisdiction. The name 'British Overseas Territory' was introduced by the British Overseas Territories Act 2002. The UK has extensive responsibilities towards the territories in international law (principally Article 73 of the UN Charter) and under the constitutions of each territory.
As sovereign power, the UK also has political and moral responsibilities. HMG recently published a new white paper on the territories, Security, Success and Sustainability, setting out a new level of engagement with the territories that involves every Government department committing to assist them within their area of responsibility. The linked paper sets out the Department for Education offer.
*The territories consist of: Turks and Caicos Islands; Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; The Pitcairn Islands; Montserrat; Gibraltar; the Falkland Islands; the Cayman Islands; the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT); the British Virgin Islands; the British Antarctic Territory; Bermuda; Anguilla.
