Dependent territory | territory that is not fully independent or sovereign

Author: Leandro Alegsa Creation date: November 13, 2022

A dependent territory is a territory that is not fully independent or sovereign. They belong to a sovereign state, and are dependent on that state to some degree. There are varying degrees and forms of such a dependence. They are commonly distinguished from subnational entities in that they are not considered to be part of the state. A subnational entity typically represents a division of the country proper, while a dependent territory is a legally separate territory that enjoys a greater degree of autonomy.

As an example, Greenland is a dependent territory of Denmark, and Saint Helena is a dependent territory of the United Kingdom.

Most of these dependent territories were originally colonies, which often had no autonomy.

Questions and Answers

Q: What is a dependent territory?

A: A dependent territory is a territory that belongs to a sovereign state, but is not fully independent or sovereign. It depends on the state to some degree and is legally separate from it, often having greater autonomy than subnational entities.

Q: How are dependent territories distinguished from subnational entities?

A: Dependent territories are typically distinguished from subnational entities in that they are not considered to be part of the state. Subnational entities usually represent divisions of the country proper, while dependent territories have more autonomy than them.

Q: What was most of these dependent territories originally?

A: Most of these dependent territories were originally colonies, which often had no autonomy.

Q: Can you give an example of a dependent territory?

A: An example of a dependent territory would be Greenland, which is a dependent territory of Denmark, or Saint Helena which is a dependent territory of the United Kingdom.

Q: Is there varying degrees and forms of dependence for these territories?

A: Yes, there are varying degrees and forms of such dependence for these territories depending on their relationship with their respective sovereign states.

Q: Are all dependent territories former colonies?

A: No, not all dependant territories were originally colonies as some may have been acquired through other means such as treaties or agreements between nations.