Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
Ariane isdominated by France and its launched from a french colony (?) in South America....
It's a "Département" a DOM (Département d'Outre-Mer) not a TOM (Territoire d'Outre-Mer) a sort of county.
They have a status quite similar to France (métropolitaine) Départements with a few minor local adaptation.
A contrario the TOM are more autonomous.
it's a extremly simplified version.