Colony
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
- For the biological meaning of colony, see colony (biology). For human colonies outside Earth, see space colonization.
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2 History 3 Colonies in ancient civilizations (examples) 4 Recent colonies (examples) 5 Modern oversea possessions |
Vocabulary
In the modern usage, colony is generally distinguished from oversea possession. In the former case, the local population, or at least the part of it not coming from the controlling country, does not enjoy full citizenship rights. The political process is generally restricted, especially excluding questions of independence. In the latter case, citizens are equal regardless of origin and it is possible for legal independentist movements to form; should they gain a majority in the oversea possession, the question of independence may be brought, for instance, to referendum.
Colony may also be used for countries that, while independent or considering themselves independent of a former colonizing power, still have a political and social structure where the rulers are a minority originating from the colonizing power. Such was the case with Rhodesia after the Unilateral Declaration of Independence.
History
Originally, as with the ancient (Hellenic) Greek apoikia, the term colonization referred to the foundation of a new city or settlement, more often than not with nonviolent means (but see for instance the Athenian re-colonisation of Melos after wiping out the earlier settlement). The term colony is derived from the Latin colonia, which indicated a place meant for agricultural activities; these Roman colonies and others like them were in fact usually either conquered so as to be inhabited by these workers, or else established as a cheap way of securing conquests made for other reasons. The name of the German city Cologne also derives from colonia. In the modern era, communities founded by colonists or settlers became known as settler colonies.
During the "age of imperialism", from arguably the 15th century until the mid-20th century, European states and others took political control of much of the world's population and landmass. The term "colony" came to mean an overseas district with a majority indigenous population, administered by a distant colonial government. (Exceptions occurred: Russian colonies in Central Asia and Siberia, and German colonies in Eastern Europe were not "overseas"; British colonies (or "overseas territories") like the Falkland Islands and Tristan da Cunha lacked a native population.) Most non-European countries were colonies of Europe at one time or another, or were handled in a quasi-colonial manner.
The independence of these colonies began with that of 13 colonies of Britain that formed the United States, finalised in 1783 with the conclusion of a war begun in 1776, and has continued until about the present time, with for example Algeria and East Timor being relinquished by European powers only in 1962 and 1975 respectively (although the latter was forcibly made an Indonesian possession instead of becoming fully independent). This process is called decolonization, though the use of a single term obscures an important distinction between the process of the settler population breaking its links with the mother country while maintaining local political supremacy and that of the indigenous population reasserting themselves (possibly through the expulsion of the settler population).
See also: British Empire, French colonial empire, Colonialism, Colonial mentality ,Colonization, British Nationality Law, Slavery, Imperialism, New Imperialism, settler.
Compare protectorate, Crown colony, dominion.
The Latin name colonia also became the name of several towns, the most famous of which is Cologne.
Colonies in ancient civilizations (examples)
- Assyria was originally a colony of Babylonia
- Carthage was a Phoenician colony
- Cyrene was a colony of the Greeks of Thera
- Naples formed as a Greek colony
Recent colonies (examples)
- India was a colony of the United Kingdom until 1947
- Korea was a colony of Japan
- The Philippines was a colony of the United States until 1946
Modern oversea possessions
None of the listed countries own "colonies".
British Dependencies
- Anguilla
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Gibraltar
- Montserrat
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- British Antarctic Territory
- British Indian Ocean Territory
- Falkland Islands
- Pitcairn Island
- Saint Helena
- South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands
France
France has not had colonies since the 1960s. All citizens of the listed territorial entities enjoy full French citizenship rights, including the right to vote for national elections. All the inhabited entities, whatever their status, are represented by deputies and senatorss to the national parliament. Some former colonies chose tight association with the rest of France and were incorporated as oversea departements: Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, French Guiana, with much the same status as the departements of mainland France or Corsica. They consistute "ultra-peripheral" regions of the European Union. The statuses of St. Pierre and Miquelon and the island of Mayotte (which insisted not to become independent as part of the now independent Comoros islands) are close.
The following two oversea territories enjoy some substantial legislative autonomy and have a separate currency (the CFP Franc). Whether they will choose independence in the future is an open question.
The following possessions are uninhabited, save for scientific, military or administrative personnel:- French Southern and Antarctic Lands
- Islands around Reunion Island:
U.S. Oversea dependencies and possessions
Note: Citizens of U.S. oversea possessions, including Puerto Rico, do not have the right to vote in U.S. federal elections. The U.S. Department of State uses the term Insular areas to refer to the areas listed below (with the exception of Guantanamo Bay and Iraq). Although the U.S. state of Hawaii is an island and is technically overseas from the rest of the U.S., it is fully a state of the Union and shares equal status under the U.S. constitution with all of the other states.
- American Samoa
- Guam
- U.S. Virgin Islands
- Puerto Rico
- Guantanamo Bay - The U.S. does not claim sovereignty, but exercises permanent control and pays rent under terms of treaties with Cuba
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Baker Island
- Howland Island
- Johnston Atoll
- Kingman Reef
- Midway Atoll
- Navassa Island
- Palmyra Atoll
- Jarvis Island
- Wake Island
- Iraq - The U.S. does not claim sovereignty over Iraq and exercises temporary military control.
Dutch Dependencies
Danish Dependencies