A colony is a region owned by a country but does not form part of the country. On the other hand, a protectorate is a nation in itself that is governed by a government but relies entirely on another country for protection against invasion from some other country. It is important to note that a protectorate is characterized by autonomy. It has its own way of functioning and does not depend upon any other country for its functioning. It is self-made and autonomous. However, it depends on another nation only in the matter of protection from invasion. In other words, it can be said that a protectorate is controlled by a stronger state but is autonomous when it comes to internal affairs.
Key Takeaways
- A colony is a region owned by a country but comes under the rule of another country, whereas a protectorate is a nation in itself protected by a country against the invasion of some other country.
- A protectorate is characterized by autonomy, whereas a colony comes directly under the rule of some other country.
- An important difference between a protectorate and a colony is that a protectorate comes under the control of a ‘protector’ whereas a colony comes under the control of a ‘colonizer’.
