Protectorate

A protectorate is a special friendship between two countries. One country, called the protectorate, lets a bigger, stronger country help protect it. The protectorate keeps most of its own rules and laws, but it asks the stronger country to help with important matters like safety and talking to other countries.

Usually, this friendship is written down in a paper called a treaty. The protectorate gets to be safe, but it must follow the rules of the stronger country when talking to others.

Being a protectorate is different from being a colony. A colony is owned and controlled by another country. A protectorate still has its own government and people, even though it depends on the stronger country for help.

Some Examples

• Andorra was once a protectorate of both France and Spain.
• The Delian League let Classical Athens handle foreign affairs for its cities.

Protectorates have been around for a very long time, even in ancient times. They help smaller countries feel safe by having a bigger friend watch over them.