Protectorate

History

Protectorates are one of the oldest features of international relations, dating back to the Roman Empire. Civitates foederatae were cities that were subordinate to Rome for their foreign relations. In the Middle Ages, Andorra was a protectorate of France and Spain. Modern protectorate concepts were devised in the nineteenth century.

Typology

Foreign relations

In practice, a protectorate often has direct foreign relations only with the protector state, and transfers the management of all its more important international affairs to the latter. Similarly, the protectorate rarely takes military action on its own but relies on the protector for its defence. This is distinct from annexation, in that the protector has no formal power to control the internal affairs of the protectorate.

Protectorates differ from League of Nations mandates and their successors, United Nations trust territories, whose administration is supervised, in varying degrees, by the international community. A protectorate formally enters into the protection through a bilateral agreement with the protector, while international mandates are stewarded by the world community-representing body, with or without a de facto administering power.

Protected state

A protected state has a form of protection where it continues to retain an "international personality" and enjoys an agreed amount of independence in conducting its foreign policy.: "First, protected states are entities which still have substantial authority in their internal affairs, retain some control over their foreign policy, and establish their relation to the protecting state on a treaty or another legal instrument. Protected states still have qualifications of statehood."

For political and pragmatic reasons, the protection relationship is not usually advertised, but described with euphemisms such as "an independent state with special treaty relations" with the protecting state. A protected state appears on world maps just as any other independent state.

International administration of a state can also be regarded as an internationalized form of protection, where the protector is an international organisation rather than a state.

Colonial protection

Multiple regions—such as the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, the Colony and Protectorate of Lagos, and similar—were subjects of colonial protection. Conditions of protection are generally much less generous for areas of colonial protection. The protectorate was often reduced to a de facto condition similar to a colony, but with the pre-existing native state continuing as the agent of indirect rule. Occasionally, a protectorate was established by another form of indirect rule: a chartered company, which becomes a de facto state in its European home state (but geographically overseas), allowed to be an independent country with its own foreign policy and generally its own armed forces.

In fact, protectorates were often declared despite no agreement being duly entered into by the state supposedly being protected, or only agreed to by a party of dubious authority in those states. Colonial protectors frequently decided to reshuffle several protectorates into a new, artificial unit without consulting the protectorates, without being mindful of the theoretical duty of a protector to help maintain a protectorate's status and integrity. The Berlin agreement of February 26, 1885, allowed European colonial powers to establish protectorates in Black Africa (the last region to be divided among them) by diplomatic notification, even without actual possession on the ground. This aspect of history is referred to as the Scramble for Africa. A similar case is the formal use of such terms as colony and protectorate for an amalgamation—convenient only for the colonizer or protector—of adjacent territories, over which it held (de facto) sway by protective or "raw" colonial power.

Amical protection

In amical protection—as in Britain's relationship with the United States of the Ionian Islands from 1815 to 1864—the terms are often very favourable for the protectorate. The political interest of the protector is frequently moral (a matter of accepted moral obligation, prestige, ideology, internal popularity, or of dynastic, historical, or ethnocultural ties). The protector's interest may be in countering a rival or enemy power—such as preventing the rival from obtaining or maintaining control of areas of strategic importance. This may involve a very weak protectorate surrendering control of its external relations but may not constitute any real sacrifice, as the protectorate may not have been able to have a similar use of them without the protector's strength.

The great powers frequently extended amical protection to other Christian (generally European) states, and to states of no significant importance. After 1815, non-Christian states (such as the Chinese Qing dynasty) also provided amical protection to other, much weaker states.

In modern times, a form of amical protection can be seen as an important or defining feature of microstates. According to the definition proposed by Dumienski (2014): "microstates are modern protected states, i.e. sovereign states that have been able to unilaterally depute certain attributes of sovereignty to larger powers in exchange for benign protection of their political and economic viability against their geographic or demographic constraints".

List of protectorates

Brazil

Imperial protectorates

• Uruguay Uruguay (1851-1870)

• Paraguay Paraguay (1870-1875)

Republican protectorates

• Republic of Acre Independent State of Acre (1903)

British Empire

Main article: British protectorate

List of former British protectorates

Americas

• [[File:Flag of Barbados (1870–1966).svg|24x24px]] Barbados (1627–1652) (as a proprietary colony under William Courteen, followed by James Hay I)
• Mosquito Coast (1638–1860) (over Central America's Miskito Indian nation)

Arab world

• [[File:Flag of Aden (1937–1963).svg|24px]] Aden Protectorate (1872–1963); precursor state of South Yemen
  • Eastern Protectorate States (mostly in Haudhramaut); later the Protectorate of South Arabia (1963–1967)
    • [[File:Kathiri flag.svg|24px]] Kathiri
    • [[File:Flag of the Mahra Sultanate.svg|24px]] Mahra
    • [[File:Flag of the Qu'aiti Sultanate from 1939 until 1967.svg|24px]] Qu'aiti
    • [[File:Flag of the State of Upper Yafa.svg|24px]] Upper Yafa (consisted of five Sheikhdoms: Al-Busi, Al-Dhubi, Hadrami, Maflahi, and Mawsata)
    • No flag.svg Hawra
    • No flag.svg Irqa
  • Western Protectorate States; later the Federation of South Arabia (1959/1962-1967), including Aden Colony
    • [[File:Flag of Wahidi Balhaf.svg|24px]] Wahidi Sultanates (these included: Balhaf, Azzan, Bir Ali, and Habban)
    • [[File:Flag of Beihan.svg|24px]] Beihan
    • [[File:Flag of Dhala.svg|24px]] Dhala and Qutaibi
    • [[File:Flag of the Sultanate of Fadhli.svg|24px]] Fadhli
    • [[File:Flag of the Sultanate of Lahej.svg|24px]] Lahej
    • [[File:Flag of Lower Yafa.svg|24px]] Lower Yafa
    • No flag.svg Audhali
    • No flag.svg Haushabi
    • No flag.svg Upper Aulaqi Sheikhdom
    • No flag.svg Upper Aulaqi Sultanate
    • No flag.svg Lower Aulaqi
    • No flag.svg Alawi
    • No flag.svg Aqrabi
    • No flag.svg Dathina
    • No flag.svg Shaib
• EGY Sultanate of Egypt (1914–1922)
• UK EGY Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (1899–1956) (condominium with Egypt)

Asia

• [[File:Flag of the Maldives 1953.svg|24x24px]] Sultanate of Maldives (1887–1965)
• Kingdom of Sikkim (1861–1947)
• [[File:Flag of Manipur.svg|24x24px]] Manipur Kingdom (1826–1891)
• North Borneo North Borneo (1888–1946)
• Various British Raj Princely States (1845-1947) – The princely states were lower in status than protectorates as the British reserved the right to interfere in internal matters under the principle of British Paramountcy.

Europe

• [[File:Flag of Cyprus (1881-1922).svg|24x24px]] British Cyprus (1871–1914) (put under British military administration 1914–22 then proclaimed a Crown colony 1922–60)
• UK Two Sicilies Malta Protectorate (1800–1813); Malta Crown Colony of Malta proclaimed in 1813) (de jure part of the Kingdom of Sicily but under British protection)
• [[File:Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands.svg|24x24px]] Ionian islands (1815–1864) (a Greek state and amical protectorate of Great Britain between 1815 and 1864)

Sub-Saharan Africa

• Barotseland Protectorate (1900–1964)
• United Kingdom Bechuanaland Protectorate (1885–1966)
• British Somaliland (1884–1960)
• [[File:Flag of Kenya (1895–1921).svg|24x24px]] East Africa Protectorate (1895–1920)
• [[File:Flag of The Gambia (1889–1965).svg|24x24px]] Gambia Colony and Protectorate* (1894–1965)
• [[File:Flag of Kenya (1921–1963).svg|24x24px]] Kenya Protectorate* (1920–1963)
• Nigeria Nigeria* (1914-1960)
• [[File:Flag of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate (1900–1914).svg|24x24px]] Northern Nigeria Protectorate (1900–1914)
• Northern Rhodesia (1924–1964)
• United Kingdom Northern Territories of the Gold Coast (British protectorate) (1901–1957)
• Nyasaland Nyasaland Protectorate (1893–1964) ([[File:Flag of British Central Africa Protectorate.svg|24x24px]] British Central Africa Protectorate until 1907)
• [[File:Flag of Sierra Leone 1916-1961.gif|24x24px]] Sierra Leone Protectorate* (1896–1961)
• [[File:Flag of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate (1900–1914).svg|24x24px]] Southern Nigeria Protectorate (1900–1914)
• No flag.svg Swaziland (1903–1968)
• [[File:Flag of the Uganda Protectorate.svg|24x24px]] Uganda Protectorate (1894–1962)
• No flag.svg Walvis Bay (1878–1884)
• Sultanate of Zanzibar (1890–1963) *protectorates that existed alongside a colony of the same name

Oceania

• No flag.svg British New Guinea (1884–1888)
• [[File:Flag of the Solomon Islands (1906–1947).svg|24x24px]] British Solomon Islands (1893–1978)
• [[File:Flag of the Cook Islands Federation.svg|24x24px]] Cook Islands (1888–1901)
• Gilbert and Ellice Islands (1892–1916)
• No flag.svg Niue (1900–1901)
• No flag.svg Tokelau (1877–1947)

List of former British protected states

As protected states, the following states were never officially part of the British Empire and retained near-total control over internal affairs; however, the British controlled their foreign policy. Their status was rarely advertised while it was in effect, it becoming clear only after it was lifted.

• Emirate of Afghanistan (1879–1919)
• Brunei (1888–1984)
• Bhutan (1910–1947)
• Flag of the Emirate of Nejd and Hasa.svg Emirate of Nejd (1915-1921)
• Flag of the Sultanate of Nejd.svg Sultanate of Nejd (1921-1926)
• Flag of the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd.svg Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd (1926-1927)
• Kingdom of Nepal (1816–1923)
• Kingdom of Egypt (1922–1936)
• Malaya Federation of Malaya (1948–1957)
  • Federated Malay States (1895–1946)
    • Negeri Sembilan (1888–1895)
      • [[File:Flag of Sungei Ujong.svg|24x24px]] Sungai Ujong (1874–1888)
      • No flag.svg Jelebu (1886–1895)
    • Pahang (1888–1895)
    • Perak (1874–1895)
    • Selangor (1874–1895)
  • No flag.svg Unfederated Malay States (1904/09–1946)
    • Johor (1914–1946)
      • Johor Muar (1897–1909)
    • Kedah (1909–1946)
    • Kelantan (1909–1946)
    • Perlis (1909–1946)
    • Terengganu (1919–1946)
• Tonga (1900–1970)
• No flag.svg British Residency of the Persian Gulf (1822–1971); headquarters based at Bushehr, Persia
  • [[File:State flag of Persia (1907–1933).svg|23px]] Persia (1919–1921)
  • [[File:Flag of Bahrain (1820–1932).svg|23px]][[File:Flag of Bahrain (1932–1972).svg|23px]] Bahrain (1783–1971)
  • [[File:Flag of Kuwait 1940-1961.png|23px]] Sheikhdom of Kuwait (1899–1961)
  • [[File:Flag of Qatar (1936-1949).svg|24px|border]] Qatar (1916–1971)
  • Trucial States; precursor state of the UAE (1820–1971)
    • [[File:Flag of Abu Dhabi.svg|24px]] Abu Dhabi (1820–1971)
    • [[File:Flag of Ajman.svg|24px]] Ajman (1820–1971)
    • [[File:Flag of Dubai.svg|24px]] Dubai (1835–1971)
    • [[File:Flag of Fujairah (1952–1972).svg|24px]] Fujairah (1952–1971)
    • [[File:Flag of Sharjah.svg|24px]] Ras Al Khaimah (1820–1971)
    • [[File:Flag of Sharjah.svg|24px]] Sharjah (1820–1971)
      • [[File:Flag of Sharjah.svg|24px]] Kalba (1936–1951)
    • [[File:Flag of Umm al-Qaiwain.svg|24px]] Umm al-Qaiwain (1820–1971)
  • Muscat and Oman (1892–1951) (informal)
• Kingdom of Sarawak (1888–1946)
• [[File:Flag of the Maldives 1953.svg|24x24px]] Sultanate of Maldives (1948-1965)
• No flag.svg Swaziland (1967–1968)

China

• Han dynasty:
  • Protectorate of the Western Regions
• Tang dynasty:
  • Protectorate General to Pacify the West
  • Protectorate General to Pacify the North
  • Protectorate General to Pacify the East
  • Protectorate General to Pacify the South
• Purpoted Military Flag of the Yuan Dynasty (2).png Yuan dynasty:
  • Royal flag of Goryeo (Bong-gi).svg Goryeo (1270–1356)
• Flag of China (1889–1912).svg Qing dynasty:
  • Flag of Tibet (1916-1951).svg Tibet

Dutch Empire

Various sultanates in the Dutch East Indies (present day Indonesia):

[[Sumatra]]

• Tarumon Kingdom (1830–1946)
• Flag of Sultanate of Langkat.svg Langkat Sultanate (26 October 1869 – December 1945)
• Flag of the Sultanate of Deli.svg Deli Sultanate (22 August 1862 – December 1945)
• Flag of Asahan.svg Asahan Sultanate (27 September 1865 – December 1945)
• Bila (1864–1946)
• Flag of Kota Pinang.png Tasik (Kota Pinang) (1865 – December 1945)
• Flag of Sultanate of Siak Sri Indrapura.svg Siak Sultanate (1 February 1858 – 1946)
• Sungai Taras (Kampong Raja) (1864–1916)
• Panei (1864–1946)
• Royal Malay Banner (Yellow).svg Sultanate of Serdang (1865 – December 1945)
• Indragiri Sultanate (1838 – September 1945)
• Sultanate of Jambi Flag.png Jambi Sultanate (1833–1899)
• Kuala (1886–1946)
• Bendera Kesultanan Pelalawan.png Pelalawan (1859 – November 1945)
• Siantar (1904–1946)
• Tanah Jawa (1904–1946)

[[Riau Archipelago]]

• Flag of Riau-Lingga Sultanate.svg Lingga-Riau (1819–1911)

[[Java]]

• Flag of the Sultanate of Banten.svg Banten (1682–1811)
• COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Katoenen banier met Arabische kalligrafie TMnr 5663-1.svg Cirebon (1684–1819)
• Flag of Wirabraja - Gula Kelapa.svg Yogjakarta Sultanate (13 February 1755 – 1942)
• Flag of the Sultanate of Mataram.svg Mataram Sultanate (later Surakarta Sunanate) (26 February 1677 – 19 August 1945)
• Flag of Mangkunegaran.svg Principality of Mangkunegara (24 February 1757 – 1946)
• Flag of Pakualaman.svg Duchy of Pakualaman (22 June 1812 – 1942)
• Semarang (1682–1809)

[[Bali]]

• Klungkung flag.svg Klungkung (1843–1908)
• Flag of the Repubblica Romana (1798).svg Badung (1843–1906)
• Bangli (1843–1908)
• Buleleng (1841–1872 and 1890–1893)
• Gianyar (1843–1908)
• Jembrana (1849–1882)
• Flag of the Kingdom of Karangasem.svg Karang Asem (1843–1908)
• Tabanan (1843–1906)

[[Lombok]]

• Flag of the Sultanate of Lombok.svg Lombok (1843–1894)
• Bendera Kesultanan Sumbawa.png Sumbawa (1908–c. 1948)
• Bendera Kesultanan Bima.png Bima (8 December 1669 – 1949)
• Dompu (1905–1942)

[[Flores]] and Solor

• Larantuka (1859–1904)
• Tanah Kuna Lima (1917–1924)
• Ndona (1917–1924)
• Sikka (1879–c. 1947)

[[Kalimantan|Borneo]]

• Banjar Sultanate Flag.svg Sultanate of Banjar (1826–1860)
• Flag of Pontianak Sultanate.svg Pontianak Sultanate (16 August 1819 – 1942)
• Bendera sambas.png Sambas Sultanate (1819–1949)
• Kubu (4 June 1823 – 1949)
• Landak (1819–c. 1949)
• Flag of the Kingdom of Mempawah.svg Mempawah Kingdom (1819–1942)
• Sanggau Kingdom (182?–1949)
• Sekadau (182?–c. 1949)
• Simpang (1822–c. 1949)
• Sintang (1822–1949)
• Sukadana (1828–c.1949)
• Kota Waringin Sultanate (1824–1949)
• Kutai Kertanegara Sultanate (8 August 1825 – 1949)
• Gunung Tabur (1844–c.1945)
• Flag of the Bulungan Sultanate.jpg Bulungan Sultanate (1844–c.1949)
• Simbaliung (1844–c. 1949)
• Kubu (1823–1949)
• Tayan (1823–c. 1949)

[[Sulawesi|Celebes]]

• Flag of the Sultanate of Gowa.svg Gowa Sultanate (1669–1906; 1936–1949)
• Flag of Bone.png Bone Sultanate (1669–1905)
• Bolaang Mongonduw (1825–c. 1949)
• Laiwui (1858–c. 1949)
• Macangnge Flag of Luwu.jpg Luwu (1861–c. 1949)
• Soppeng (1860–c. 1949)
• Butung (1824–c. 1949)
• Siau (1680–c. 1949)
• Banggai (1907–c. 1949)
• Tallo (1668–1780)
• Wajo (1860–c. 1949)
• Tabukan (1677–c. 1949)

[[Ajatappareng|Ajattappareng]] Confederacy (1905–c. 1949)

• Malusetasi
• Rapang
• Swaito (union of Sawito and Alita, 1908)
• Sidenreng
• Supa

Mabbatupappeng Confederacy (1906–c. 1949)

• Barru
• Soppengriaja (union of Balusu, Kiru, Kamiri, 1906)
• Tanette

Mandar Confederacy (1906–c. 1949)

• Balangnipa
• Binuang
• Cenrana
• Majene
• Mamuju
• Pambauang
• Tapalang

Massenrempulu Confederacy (1905–c. 1949)

• Allah
• Batulapa
• Bontobatu
• Enrekang
• Kasa
• Maiwa
• Malua

[[Maluku Islands|Moluccas]]

• Flag of the Ternate Sultanate.png Ternate Sultanate (12 October 1676 – 1949)
• Bendera Sultan Bacan.svg Bacan Sultanate (1667–1949)
• Flag of the Sultanate of Tidore.pngTidore (1657–c.1949)

[[West Timor]] and Alor

• Amanatun (1749–c. 1949)
• Amanuban (1749–c. 1949)
• Amarasi (1749–c. 1949)
• Amfoan (1683–c. 1949)
• Beboki (1756–c. 1949)
• Belu (1756–c.1949)
• Insana (1756–c.1949)
• Sonbai Besar (1756–1906)
• Sonbai Kecil (1659–1917)
• Roti (Korbafo before 1928) (c. 1750–c.1949)
• TaEbenu (1688–1917)

[[New Guinea]]

• Morning Star flag.svg Dutch New Guinea:
  • Kerajaan Kaimana Papua.gif Kaimana Sultanate (1828-1949)

Egypt

• All-Palestine (1948–1959) – although it claimed the former territory of Mandatory Palestine, the polity only held control of the Gaza Strip. It was recognized by Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen; but not Transjordan who would annex the West Bank in 1950.

France

Africa

"Protection" was the formal legal structure under which French colonial forces expanded in Africa between the 1830s and 1900. Almost every pre-existing state that was later part of French West Africa was placed under protectorate status at some point, although direct rule gradually replaced protectorate agreements. Formal ruling structures, or fictive recreations of them, were largely retained—as with the low-level authority figures in the French Cercles—with leaders appointed and removed by French officials.

• Benin traditional states:
  • Independent of Royal banner of Béhanzin of Dahomey.svg Danhome, under French protectorate, from 1889
  • Porto-Novo a French protectorate, 23 February 1863 – 2 January 1865. Cotonou a French Protectorate, 19 May 1868. Porto-Novo French protectorate, 14 April 1882.
• Central African Republic traditional states:
  • French protectorate over Dar al-Kuti (1912 Sultanate suppressed by the French), 12 December 1897
  • French protectorate over the Sultanate of Bangassou, 1894
• Chad: Baghirmi state 20 September 1897 a French protectorate
• Côte d'Ivoire: 10 January 1889 French protectorate of Ivory Coast
• Guinea: 5 August 1849 French protectorate over coastal region; (Riviéres du Sud).
• Niger, Sultanate of Damagaram (Zinder), 30 July 1899 under French protectorate over the native rulers, titled Sarkin Damagaram or Sultan
• Senegal: 4 February 1850 First of several French protectorate treaties with local rulers
• Comoros traditional states:
  • Grande Comore, Mohéli and Anjouan were French protectorates from 6 January 1886 until 25 July 1912, when annexed.
• Present Djibouti was originally, from 24 June 1884, the Territory of Obock and Protectorate of Tadjoura (Territoires Français d'Obock, Tadjoura, Dankils et Somalis), a French protectorate recognized by Britain on 9 February 1888, renamed on 20 May 1896 as French Somaliland (Côte Française des Somalis).
• Mauritania: 12 May 1903 French protectorate; within Mauritania several traditional states:
  • Adrar emirate from 9 January 1909 French protectorate (before Spanish)
  • The Taganit confederation's emirate (founded by Idaw `Ish dynasty), from 1905 under French protectorate.
  • Brakna confederation's emirate
  • Emirate of Trarza: 15 December 1902 placed under French protectorate status.
• Merchant flag of French Morocco.svg Morocco – most of the sultanate was under French protectorate (30 March 1912 – 7 April 1956) although, in theory, it remained a sovereign state under the Treaty of Fez; this fact was confirmed by the International Court of Justice in 1952.
  • The northern part of Morocco was under Spanish protectorate in the same period.
• Traditional Madagascar States
  • Flag of the Merina Kingdom.svg Kingdom of Imerina under French protectorate, 1882. French Madagascar colony, 28 February 1897.
• French protectorate of Tunisia Tunisia (12 May 1881 – 20 March 1956): became a French protectorate by treaty

Asia

• French Indochina until 1953/54:
  • Flag of Colonial Annam.svg Annam and Tonkin 6 June 1884
  • Flag of Cambodia under French protection.svg Cambodia 11 August 1863
  • Flag of French Laos.svg Laos 3 October 1893
  • Flag of Central Vietnam (1885-1890).svg Vietnam 6 June 1884

Europe

• [[File:Coat of arms of the Most Serene Republican Monarchy of Naples.svg|15px]] Neapolitan Republic (1647-1648)
• North Rhine-Westphalia Rhenish Republic (1923–1924)
• Saar Protectorate Saar Protectorate (1946–1956), not colonial or amical, but a former part of Germany that would by referendum return to it, in fact a re-edition of a former League of Nations mandate. Most French protectorates were colonial.

Oceania

• French Polynesia French Polynesia, mainly the Society Islands (several others were immediately annexed). All eventually were annexed by 1889.
  • Flag of the Tahiti Protectorate 1842-1843.svg Tahiti (native king styled Ari`i rahi) becomes a French protectorate, 1842–1880
  • Drapeau de Raiatea (polynésie Française 1880-1897).png Raiatea and Tahaa (after temporary annexation by Tahiti; (title Ari`i) a French protectorate, 1880)
  • Flag of the Kingdom of Mangareva 1832-1843.svg Mangareva (one of the Gambier Islands; ruler title `Akariki) a French protectorate, 16 February 1844 (unratified) and 30 November 1871
• Flag of Wallis and Futuna.svg Wallis and Futuna:
  • Flag of Uvea.svg Wallis declared to be a French protectorate by King of Uvea and Captain Mallet, 4 November 1842. Officially in a treaty becomes a French protectorate, 5 April 1887.
  • Flag of Sigave.svg Sigave and Flag_of_Alo.svg Alo on the islands of Futuna and Alofi signed a treaty establishing a French protectorate on 16 February 1888.

Germany

The German Empire used the word Schutzgebiet, literally protectorate, for all of its colonial possessions until they were lost during World War I, regardless of the actual level of government control. Cases involving indirect rule included:

• German New Guinea German New Guinea (1884–1920), now part of Papua New Guinea
• Reichskolonialflagge.svg German South West Africa (1884–1920), present-day Namibia
• Reichskolonialflagge.svg Togoland (1884–1914), now part of Ghana and Togo
• Flag of Bougainville.svg North Solomon Islands (1885–1920), now part of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
• Flagge Witu 1890 laut Voeltzkow.jpg Wituland (1885–1890), now part of Kenya
• Reichskolonialflagge.svg Ruanda-Urundi (1894–1920)
• Reichskolonialflagge.svg German Samoa (1900–1920), present-day Samoa
• Flagge der Ralik-Inseln.svg Marshall Islands
• German New Guinea Nauru, various officials posted with the Head Chiefs
• No flag.svg Gando Emirate (1895–1897)
• No flag.svg Gulmu (1895–1897)

Before and during World War II, Nazi Germany designated the rump of occupied Czechoslovakia and Denmark as protectorates:

• Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (1939–1945), however it was also considered a partially annexed territory of Germany
• Denmark Denmark (1940–1943)

India

• Flag of Bhutan.svg Bhutan (1947–1971).
• Flag of Sikkim (1914-1962).svg Kingdom of Sikkim (1950–1975), later acceded to India as State of Sikkim.

Italy

• Al-1918.svg The Albanian Republic (1917–1920) and the Flag of Albania (1939–1943).svg Albanian Kingdom (1939–1943)
• Monaco Monaco under amical Protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia 20 November 1815 to 1860.
• Ethiopian Pennants.svg Ethiopia : 2 May 1889 Treaty of Wuchale, in the Italian language version, stated that Ethiopia was to become an Italian protectorate, while the Ethiopian Amharic language version merely stated that the Emperor could, if he so chose, go through Italy to conduct foreign affairs. When the differences in the versions came to light, Emperor Menelik II abrogated first the article in question (XVII), and later the whole treaty. The event culminated in the First Italo-Ethiopian War, in which Ethiopia was victorious and defended her sovereignty in 1896.
• Coat of arms of Italian Libya (1940–1943).svg Libya: on 15 October 1912 Italian protectorate declared over Cirenaica (Cyrenaica) until 17 May 1919.
• Banaadir calan.gif Benadir Coast in Somalia: 3 August 1889 Italian protectorate (in the northeast; unoccupied until May 1893), until 16 March 1905 when it changed to Italian_Somaliland_COA.svg Italian Somaliland.
  • Majeerteen sultanate flag.jpg Majeerteen Sultanate since 7 April 1889 under Italian protectorate (renewed 7 April 1895), then in 1927 incorporated into the Italian colony.
  • Majeerteen sultanate flag.jpg Sultanate of Hobyo since December 1888 under Italian protectorate (renewed 11 April 1895), then in October 1925 incorporated into the Italian colony (known as Obbia).

Japan

• Korea Korean Empire (1905–1910)
• Manchukuo Manchukuo (1932–1945)
• Mengjiang Mengjiang (1939–1945)

Poland

• Flag of Feodosia.svg Kaffa (1462–1475)

Portugal

• Cabinda (Portuguese Congo) (1885–1974), Portugal first claimed sovereignty over Cabinda in the February 1885 Treaty of Simulambuco, which gave Cabinda the status of a protectorate of the Portuguese Crown under the request of "the princes and governors of Cabinda".
• Kingdom of Kongo (1857–1914)
• Gaza Empire (1824–1895), now part of Mozambique
• Angoche Sultanate (1903–1910)
• Kingdom of Larantuka (1515–1859)

Russia and the Soviet Union

• Flag of the Cossack Hetmanate.svg Cossack Hetmanate (1654–1764)
• [[File:Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti.svg|25px]] Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (1783–1801)
• Banner of the Kingdom of Imereti.svg Kingdom of Imereti (1804–1810)
• Flag of Revolutionary Serbia.svg Revolutionary Serbia (1807–1812)
• Principality of Serbia Principality of Serbia (1826–1856), now part of Serbia
• Civil Ensign of the Principality of Moldavia (1834-1861).svg Principality of Moldova (1829–1856), now part of Moldova, Romania and Ukraine
• Flagge von Walachischen 1858.svg Principality of Wallachia (1829–1856)
• Flag of the Emirate of Bukhara.svg Emirate of Bukhara (1873–1920)
• Flag of the Khanate of Khiva.svg Khanate of Khiva (1873–1920)
• Flag of Uriankhai (1918-1921).svg Uryankhay Krai (1914)
• Kokbayraq flag.svg Second East Turkestan Republic (1944–1949), now part of Xinjiang, China

''De facto''

Some sources mention the following territories as de facto Russian protectorates:

• Flag_of_South_Ossetia.svg South Ossetia (2008–present)
• Flag_of_Transnistria_(state).svg Transnistria (1992–present)
• Flag_of_the_Republic_of_Abkhazia.svg Abkhazia (1994–present)
• Flag_of_Donetsk_People's_Republic.svg Donetsk People's Republic (2015–2022)
• Flag_of_the_Luhansk_People's_Republic.svg Luhansk People's Republic (2015–2022)
• Flag_of_Artsakh.svg Republic of Artsakh (2020–2023)

Spain

• Merchant flag of Spanish Morocco.svg Spanish Morocco protectorate from 27 November 1912 until 2 April 1958 (Northern zone until 7 April 1956, Southern zone (Cape Juby) until 2 April 1958).
• Late_19th_Century_Flag_of_Sulu.svg Sultanate of Sulu (1851–1899)

Turkey and the Ottoman Empire

Main article: Vassal and tributary states of the Ottoman Empire

• [[File:Flag of Wallachia.svg|23px]] Principality of Wallachia (1396–1397, 1417–1829, 1856–1861)
• [[File:Flag of Moldavia.svg|23px]] Principality of Moldavia (1456–1457, 1503–1829, 1856–1861)
• Flag_of_the_Principality_of_Samtskhe.svg Principality of Samtskhe (1500–1625)
• Banner of the Kingdom of Imereti.svg Kingdom of Imereti (1555–1804)
• Coat of arms of Svaneti.svg Principality of Svaneti (1555–1804)
• Abkhazia_flag_1810.png Principality of Abkhazia (1555–1810)
• Flag_of_the_Principality_of_Mingrelia.svg Principality of Mingrelia (1557–1803)
• Maldives Maldives (1560–1590)
• Aceh Sultanate Aceh Sultanate (1569–1903)
• Transylvanian_flag,_1601.svg Principality of Transylvania (1570–1699)
• Banner_of_Guria.svg Principality of Guria (1614–1810)
• Flag of the Cossack Hetmanate.svg Cossack Hetmanate (1669–1685)
• Flag_of_Serbia_(Sretenje_constitution_1835).svg Principality of Serbia (1815–1826, 1856–1878)
• Flag_of_the_United_Principalities_of_Romania_(1862–1866).svg United Principalities of Romania (1862–1877)
• Flag_of_Bulgaria.svg Principality of Bulgaria (1878–1908)

''De facto''

• Hatay Hatay State (1938–1939)
• Northern Cyprus Northern Cyprus (1974–present)

United Nations

Main article: United Nations protectorate

United States

• Flag of the Negros Republic.svg Republic of Negros (1899–1901)
• Republic of Zamboanga (1899–1903)
• Late_19th_Century_Flag_of_Sulu.svg Sultanate of Sulu (1899–1915)

Contemporary usage

Some agencies of the United States government, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, refer to the District of Columbia and insular areas of the United States—such as American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands—as protectorates. However, the agency responsible for the administration of those areas, the Office of Insular Affairs within the United States Department of the Interior, uses only the term "insular area" rather than protectorate.

• District of Columbia District of Columbia
• American Samoa American Samoa
• Guam Guam
• Northern Mariana Islands Northern Mariana Islands
• Puerto Rico Puerto Rico
• U.S. Virgin Islands U.S. Virgin Islands

Joint protectorates

• Republic of Ragusa Republic of Ragusa (1684–1798), a joint Habsburg Austrian–Ottoman Turkish protectorate
• The Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands.svg United States of the Ionian Islands and the Flag of the Septinsular Republic.svg Septinsular Republic were federal republics of seven formerly Venetian (see Provveditore) Ionian Islands (Corfu, Cephalonia, Zante, Santa Maura, Ithaca, Cerigo, and Paxos), officially under joint protectorate of the allied Christian powers, de facto a British amical protectorate from 1815 to 1864.
• UK EGY Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (1899–1956)
• Independent State of Croatia Independent State of Croatia (1941–1943)

Notes

References

Bibliography

References

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