978-1-4222-3430-3

Options for Non-Self-Governing Territories The day after the General Assembly issued Resolution 1514, it announced another resolution—Resolution 1541. The “Declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples”had asserted the rights of all peoples to self-government and confirmed that the United Nations was to help bring about this independence for all Non-Self-Governing Territories. Now, Resolution 1541 gave three options for Non-Self-Governing Territories to gain independence. Such a territory could become self-governing by: 1. becoming an independent country, 2. choosing to link itself with another independent country, or 3. choosing to become a part of another independent country. Whatever the people of a Non-Self-Governing Territory chose, the impor- tant thing was that it was their decision,not one forced on them by violence or fear.Sometimes the people chose for their territory to become associated with another country,with the option of becoming an independent country in the future.

NON-SELF-GOVERNING TERRITORIES, AS OF 2014

Africa

Europe

Western Sahara* Atlantic and Caribbean

Gibraltar Pacific and Indian Oceans

Anguilla Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Montserrat St. Helena Turks and Caicos Islands United States Virgin Islands

American Samoa French Polynesia Guam New Caledonia Pitcairn Islands Tokelau

*Spain gave up its presence in 1976, but the process of decolonization by the people has not been completed.

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United Nations