Title: British Overseas Territories Content: A British Overseas Territory is one of fourteen territories under the United Kingdom's sovereignty, but not as part of the United Kingdom itself.The name "British Overseas Territory" was introduced by the British Overseas Territories Act 2002, and replaced the name British dependent territory which was introduced by the British Nationality Act 1981. Before 1981 the territories were known as colonies or Crown colonies. The British Overseas Territories are also referred to as overseas territories of the United Kingdom, UK overseas territories, or when the context is clear, simply the Overseas Territories. British Overseas Territories have a parliament, government and prime minister to make all laws, except laws about defence and foreign affairs. Defence and foreign affairs are looked after by the British government. British Overseas Territories which have no local population or any population, have no local autonomy. If the British Overseas Territory is ruled badly, the government of the British Overseas Territory can be taken over by the British government and ruled directly by it, without the agreement of the British Overseas Territory. The territories of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, though also under the sovereignty of the British Crown, have a slightly different constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom, and are consequently classed as Crown dependencies rather than Overseas Territories. Unlike British Overseas Territories, the British government cannot take over the government of a Crown dependency, unless the government of the Crown dependency agrees. Territories and dependencies are distinct from the Commonwealth of Nations, a voluntary association of former British colonies. In a historical context, colonies should be distinguished from protectorates and protected states, which though under British control, were nominally independent states, whereas colonies were part of the British state. They should also not be confused with Dominions, which, known collectively as the Commonwealth, were independent states, held to be equal in sovereign status to the United Kingdom within the Empire and Commonwealth after the Statute of Westminster in 1931. Crown colonies, such as Hong Kong, were differentiated from other colonies in being administered directly by the Crown, without the degree of local autonomy found in self-governed colonies and other British overseas territories such as Bermuda. == Current Overseas Territories ==  === Legal system === Each Overseas Territory has its own legal system independent of the United Kingdom. The legal system is generally based on English common law, with some distinctions for local circumstances. Each territory has its own Attorney General, and court system. For the smaller territories, the UK may appoint a UK-based lawyer or judge to work on legal cases. This is particularly important for cases involving serious crimes and where it is impossible to find a jury who will not know the defendant in a small population island. == Gallery of images == File:Sandy Ground Anguilla.jpg|Anguilla File:City Hall in Hamilton, Bermuda.jpg|City Hall, Hamilton, Bermuda File:Diegogarcia.jpg|View of the military base at Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory File:Aerial photo Port Stanley.jpg|Stanley, Falkland Islands File:Rock_of_Gibraltar_northwest.jpg|Rock of Gibraltar File:Montserrat volcano.jpg|Montserrat File:02 Last view of Jamestown St Helena June1970.jpg|View of Jamestown, Saint Helena