U.S. Territory

A U.S. territory is a land area governed by the United States that is not part of any state. These territories are under U.S. sovereignty but may have different levels of self-governance. Residents are U.S. citizens or nationals, but they may not have full voting rights in federal elections. Examples include Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa. Territories vary in size and governance structure, serving strategic, economic, or cultural purposes for the U.S. While they are integral to the nation, they often have unique legal and political relationships with the mainland.