what's a more casual term than "insular area"?

Question

Let's say you need to use to refer to all "insular areas" of the United States on a website, but don't expect anyone to know what an insular area actually is. The official definition from the Department of the Interior's Office of Insular Affairs is:

"A jurisdiction that is neither a part of one of the several States nor a Federal district. This is the current generic term to refer to any commonwealth, freely associated state, possession or territory or Territory and from July 18, 1947, until October 1, 1994, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands." (http://www.doi.gov/oia/FAQ/faq2.htm)

So, "insular area" is really too unknown, and "commonwealth, freely associated state, possession or territory or Territory" is just too long. Is there any casual middle ground?

Answer 1

possessions