Protectorate

A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over most of its internal affairs, while still recognizing the suzerainty of a more powerful sovereign state without being a possession. In exchange, the protectorate usually accepts specified obligations depending on the terms of their arrangement. Usually protectorates are established de jure by a treaty. Under certain conditions—as with Egypt under British rule (1882–1914)—a state can also be labelled as a de facto protectorate or a veiled protectorate.

A protectorate is different from a colony as it has local rulers, is not directly possessed, and rarely experiences colonization by the suzerain state. A state that is under the protection of another state while retaining its "international personality" is called a "protected state", not a 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.

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.

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 of United States of the Ionian Islands by Britain—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 dynastic, historical, or ethnocultural ties). Also, the protector's interest is 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.

Amical protection was frequently extended by the great powers 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 of 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".

Argentina's protectorates

 * Liga Federal (1815–1820)
 * Chile (1817–1818)
 * Republic of Tucumán (1820–1821)
 * Peru (1820–1822)
 * Riograndense Republic (1836–1845)
 * Juliana Republic (1839–1845)
 * Gobierno del Cerrito (1843–1851)
 * 🇵🇾 Paraguay (1876)

Brazil's protectorates

 * Republic of Acre (1899–1903)
 * Paraguay (1869–1876)
 * Uruguay (1828–1835)

Americas

 * Mosquitia (1638–1860; over Central America's Miskito Indian nation)

Europe

 * Malta Protectorate (1800–1813); 🇲🇹 Crown Colony of Malta proclaimed in 1813) (de jure part of the Kingdom of Sicily but under British protection)
 * Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands.svg Ionian islands (1815–1864) (a Greek state and amical protectorate of Great Britain between 1815 and 1864)
 * Flag of Cyprus (1881-1922).svg British Cyprus (1878–1914) (put under British military administration 1914–22 then proclaimed a Crown Colony 1922–60)

South Asia

 * Cis-Sutlej states (1809–1862)
 * Kingdom of Nepal (1816–1923; protected state)
 * Kingdom of Sikkim (1861–1947), (1947–1972)
 * Flag of the Maldives 1953.svg Maldive Islands (1776–1965), (1965–1968), (1968–1990)
 * Emirate of Afghanistan (1879–1919; protected state)
 * 🇦🇫 Afghanistan (1919–1947, 1948, 1950, 1956)
 * Various British Raj Princely States (1845–1947)
 * 🇧🇹 Bhutan (1906–1947, 1948; protected state)

Western Asia

 * British Residency of the Persian Gulf (1822–1971); headquarters based in Bushire, Persia
 * 🇧🇭 Bahrain, protected state (1880–1971)
 * Sheikhdom of Kuwait, protected state (1899–1961)
 * Qatar, protected state (1916–1971)
 * Trucial States; precursor state of the UAE, protected states (1892–1971)
 * Abu Dhabi (1820–1971)
 * Ajman (1820–1971)
 * Dubai (1835–1971)
 * Fujairah (1952–1971)
 * Ras Al Khaimah (1820–1971)
 * Sharjah (1820–1971)
 * Kalba (1936–1951)
 * Umm al-Qaiwain (1820–1971)
 * Muscat and Oman (1892–1971; informal, protected state)
 * Aden Protectorate (1872–1963); precursor state of South Yemen
 * Eastern Protectorate States (mostly in Hadhramaut); later the Protectorate of South Arabia (1963–1967)
 * Kathiri
 * Mahra
 * Qu'aiti
 * Upper Yafa (consisted of five Sheikhdoms: Al-Busi, Al-Dhubi, Hadrami, Maflahi, and Mawsata)
 * Hawra
 * Irqa
 * Western Protectorate States; later the Federation of South Arabia (1959/1962–1967), including Aden Colony
 * Wahidi Sultanates (these included: Balhaf, Azzan, Bir Ali, and Habban)
 * Beihan
 * Dhala and Qutaibi
 * Fadhli
 * Lahej
 * Lower Yafa
 * Audhali
 * Haushabi
 * Upper Aulaqi Sheikhdom
 * Upper Aulaqi Sultanate
 * Lower Aulaqi
 * Alawi
 * Aqrabi
 * Dathina
 * Shaib

Africa


* protectorates which existed alongside a colony of the same name
 * British Somaliland (1884–1960)
 * 🇬🇧 Bechuanaland Protectorate (1885–1966)
 * Barotseland Protectorate (1889–1964)
 * Nyasaland Protectorate (1893–1964) (Flag of British Central Africa Protectorate.svg British Central Africa Protectorate from 1889 until 1907)
 * Sultanate of Zanzibar (1890–1963)
 * Sultanate of Wituland (1890–1923)
 * Flag of The Gambia (1889–1965).svg Gambia Colony and Protectorate* (1894–1965)
 * Flag of the Uganda Protectorate.svg Uganda Protectorate (1894–1962)
 * Flag of Kenya (1895–1921).svg East Africa Protectorate (1895–1920)
 * Flag of Sierra Leone 1916-1961.gif Sierra Leone Protectorate* (1896–1961)
 * 🇳🇬 Nigeria* (1914–1960)
 * Flag of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate (1900–1914).svg Northern Nigeria Protectorate (1900–1914)
 * Swaziland (1903–1968)
 * Flag of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate (1900–1914).svg Southern Nigeria Protectorate (1900–1914)
 * 🇬🇧 Northern Territories of the Gold Coast (British protectorate) (1901–1957)
 * 🇪🇬 Sultanate of Egypt (1914–1922)
 * Flag of Kenya (1921–1963).svg Kenya Protectorate* (1920–1963)
 * Kingdom of Egypt (1922–1936)
 * Northern Rhodesia (1924–1964)

De facto

 * 🇪🇬 Khediviate of Egypt (1882–1913)

Oceania

 * Territory of Papua (1884–1888)
 * Tokelau (1877–1916)
 * Flag of Rarotonga 1888-1893.svg Cook Islands (1888–1893)
 * Gilbert and Ellice Islands (1892–1916)
 * Flag of the Solomon Islands (1906–1947).svg British Solomon Islands (1893–1978)
 * Niue (1900–1901)
 * 🇹🇴 Tonga (1900–1970)

East and Southeast Asia

 * British North Borneo (1888–1946)
 * Brunei (1888–1984)
 * Raj of Sarawak (1888–1946)
 * Federation of Malaya (1948–1957)
 * Federated Malay States (1895–1946)
 * Negeri Sembilan (1888–1895)
 * Flag of Sungei Ujong.svg Sungai Ujong (1874–1888)
 * Jelebu (1886–1895)
 * Pahang (1888–1895)
 * Perak (1874–1895)
 * Selangor (1874–1895)
 * Unfederated Malay States (1904/09–1946)
 * Johor (1914–1946)
 * Johor Muar (1897–1909)
 * Kedah (1909–1946)
 * Kedah Kulim (1894–1909)
 * Kelantan (1909–1946)
 * Perlis (1909–1946)
 * Terengganu (1909–1946)

China's protectorates

 * 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
 * Yuan dynasty:
 * Goryeo (1270–1356)
 * Qing dynasty:
 * Tibet

Dutch Empire's protectorates
Various sultanates in the Dutch East Indies (present day Indonesia):

Sumatra

 * Tarumon Kingdom (1830–1946)
 * Langkat Sultanate (26 October 1869 – December 1945)
 * Deli Sultanate (22 August 1862 – December 1945)
 * Asahan Sultanate (27 September 1865 – December 1945)
 * Bila (1864–1946)
 * Tasik (Kota Pinang) (1865 – December 1945)
 * Siak Sultanate (1 February 1858 – 1946)
 * Sungai Taras (Kampong Raja) (1864–1916)
 * Panei (1864–1946)
 * Sultanate of Serdang (1865 – December 1945)
 * Indragiri Sultanate (1838 – September 1945)
 * Jambi Sultanate (1833–1899)
 * Kuala (1886–1946)
 * Pelalawan (1859 – November 1945)
 * Siantar (1904–1946)
 * Tanah Jawa (1904–1946)

Riau Archipelago

 * Lingga-Riau (1819–1911)

Java

 * Banten (1682–1811)
 * Cirebon (1684–1819)
 * Yogjakarta Sultanate (13 February 1755 – 1942)
 * Mataram Sultanate (later Surakarta Sunanate) (26 February 1677 – 19 August 1945)
 * Principality of Mangkunegara (24 February 1757 – 1946)
 * Duchy of Pakualaman (22 June 1812 – 1942)
 * Semarang (1682–1809)

Bali

 * Klungkung (1843–1908)
 * Badung (1843–1906)
 * Bangli (1843–1908)
 * Buleleng (1841–1872; 1890–1893)
 * Gianyar (1843–1908)
 * Jembrana (1849–1882)
 * Karang Asem (1843–1908)
 * Tabanan (1843–1906)

Lombok

 * Lombok (1843–1894)
 * Sumbawa (1908–c. 1948)
 * Bima (8 December 1669 – 1949)
 * Dompu (1905–1942)

Flores & Solor

 * Larantuka (1860–1904)
 * Tanah Kuna Lima (1917–1924)
 * Ndona (1917–1924)
 * Sikka (1879–c. 1947)

Borneo

 * Banjarmasin (1787–1860)
 * Pontianak Sultanate (16 August 1819 – 1942)
 * Sambas Sultanate (1819–1949)
 * Kubu (4 June 1823 – 1949)
 * Landak (1819–c. 1949)
 * 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)
 * Bulungan Sultanate (1844–c.1949)
 * Simbaliung (1844–c. 1949)
 * Kubu (1823–1949)
 * Tayan (1823–c. 1949)

Celebes

 * Gowa Sultanate (1669–1906; 1936–1949)
 * Bone Sultanate (1669–1905)
 * Bolaang Mongonduw (1825–c. 1949)
 * Laiwui (1858–c. 1949)
 * 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)

Ajattappareng Confederacy (1905–c. 1949)

 * Malusetasi
 * Rapang
 * Swaito (union of Sawito & 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

The Moluccas

 * Ternate Sultanate (12 October 1676 – 1949)
 * Bacan Sultanate (1667–1949)
 * Tidore (1657–c.1949)

West Timor & 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

 * Dutch New Guinea:
 * Kaimana Sultanate (????-1949)

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 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
 * Burkina Faso was from 20 February 1895 a French protectorate named Upper Volta (Haute-Volta)
 * 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: 21 April 1886 French protectorate (Anjouan) 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.
 * 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
 * Kingdom of Imerina under French protectorate, 6 August 1896. French Madagascar colony, 28 February 1897.
 * Tunisia (12 May 1881 – 20 March 1956): became a French protectorate by treaty

Americas

 * Second Mexican Empire (1863–1867), established by Emperor Napoleon III during the Second French intervention in Mexico and ruled by the Austrian-born, French puppet monarch Maximilian I

Asia



 * French Indochina until 1953/54:
 * Annam and Tonkin 6 June 1884
 * Cambodia 11 August 1863
 * Laos 3 October 1893
 * Vietnam 6 June 1884

Europe

 * Rhenish Republic (1923–1924)
 * 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, mainly the Society Islands (several others were immediately annexed). All eventually were annexed by 1889.
 * Otaheiti (native king styled Ari`i rahi) becomes a French protectorate known as Tahiti, 1842–1880
 * Raiatea and Tahaa (after temporary annexation by Otaheiti; (title Ari`i) a French protectorate, 1880)
 * Mangareva (one of the Gambier Islands; ruler title `Akariki) a French protectorate, 16 February 1844 (unratified) and 30 November 1871
 * Wallis and Futuna:
 * 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.
 * Sigave and Alo on the islands of Futuna and Alofi signed a treaty establishing a French protectorate on 16 February 1888.

Germany's protectorates and protected states
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 (1884–1920), now part of Papua New Guinea
 * German South West Africa (1884–1920), present-day Namibia
 * Togoland (1884–1914), now part of Ghana and Togo
 * North Solomon Islands (1885–1920), now part of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands
 * Wituland (1885–1890), now part of Kenya
 * Ruanda-Urundi (1894–1920)
 * German Samoa (1900–1920), present-day Samoa
 * Marshall Islands
 * Nauru, various officials posted with the Head Chiefs
 * Gando Emirate (1895–1897)
 * 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 (1939–1945), however it was also considered a partially annexed territory of Germany
 * 🇩🇰 Denmark (1940–1943)

India's protectorates

 * Bhutan (1947–2007).
 * Kingdom of Sikkim (1950–1975), later acceded to India as State of Sikkim.

Italy's protectorates and protected states

 * The Albanian Republic (1917–1920) and the Albanian Kingdom (1939–1943)
 * 🇲🇨 Monaco under amical Protectorate of the Kingdom of Sardinia 20 November 1815 to 1860.
 * 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.
 * Libya: on 15 October 1912 Italian protectorate declared over Cirenaica (Cyrenaica) until 17 May 1919.
 * 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.
 * Majeerteen Sultanate since 7 April 1889 under Italian protectorate (renewed 7 April 1895), then in 1927 incorporated into the Italian colony.
 * 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's protectorates

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

Poland's protectorates

 * Kaffa (1462–1475)

Portugal's protectorates

 * 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's and the Soviet Union's protectorates and protected states

 * Cossack Hetmanate (1654–1764)
 * Coat of arms of Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti.svg Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti (1783–1801)
 * Kingdom of Imereti (1804–1810)
 * Revolutionary Serbia (1807–1812)
 * Principality of Serbia (1826–1856), now part of Serbia
 * Principality of Moldova (1829–1856), now part of Moldova, Romania and Ukraine
 * Principality of Wallachia (1829–1856)
 * Emirate of Bukhara (1873–1920)
 * Khanate of Khiva (1873–1920)
 * Uryankhay Krai (1914)
 * Second East Turkestan Republic (1944–1949), now part of Xinjiang, China

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


 * South Ossetia (2008–present)
 * Transnistria (1992–present)
 * Abkhazia (1994–present)
 * Donetsk People's Republic (2015–2022)
 * Luhansk People's Republic (2015–2022)
 * Republic of Artsakh (2020–2023)

Spain's protectorates

 * 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).
 * Sultanate of Sulu (1851–1899)

Turkey's and the Ottoman Empire's protectorates and protected states

 * Aceh Sultanate (1569–1903)
 * 🇲🇻 Maldives (1560–1590)
 * Cossack Hetmanate (1669–1685)

De facto

 * Northern Cyprus (1983–present)

United Nations' protectorates

 * United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (1999–2002)
 * 🇰🇭 United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (1992–1993)
 * United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (1999–present) (only de jure since 2008)
 * 🇮🇩 United Nations Temporary Executive Authority (1962–1963)
 * 🇭🇷 United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (1996–1998)

United States' protectorates and protected states
After becoming independent nations in 1902 and 1903 respectively, Cuba and Panama became protectorates of the United States. In 1903, Cuba and the U.S. signed the Cuban–American Treaty of Relations, which affirmed the provisions of the Platt Amendment, including that the U.S. had the right to intervene in Cuba to preserve its independence, among other reasons (the Platt Amendment had also been integrated into the 1901 constitution of Cuba). Later that year, Panama and the U.S. signed the Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty, which established the Panama Canal Zone and gave the U.S. the right to intervene in the cities of Panama and Colón (and the adjacent territories and harbors) for the maintenance of public order. The 1904 constitution of Panama, in Article 136, also gave the U.S. the right to intervene in any part of Panama "to reestablish public peace and constitutional order." Haiti later also became a protectorate after the ratification of the Haitian–American Convention (which gave the U.S. the right to intervene in Haiti for a period of ten years, which was later expanded to twenty years through an additional agreement in 1917) on September 16, 1915.

The United States also attempted to establish protectorates over the Dominican Republic and Mexico, as well as other Central American nations such as Nicaragua through the Bryan–Chamorro Treaty.
 * 🇨🇺 Cuba (1904–1934)
 * Panama (1904–1939)
 * Haiti (1915–1936)

De facto

 * Republic of Negros (1899–1901)
 * Republic of Zamboanga (1899–1903)
 * Sultanate of Sulu (1899–1915)

Contemporary usage by the United States
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 (OIA) within the United States Department of Interior, uses only the term "insular area" rather than protectorate.


 * District of Columbia
 * 🇦🇸 American Samoa
 * 🇬🇺 Guam
 * 🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands
 * 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
 * U.S. Virgin Islands

Joint protectorates

 * Republic of Ragusa (1684–1798), a joint Habsburg Austrian–Ottoman Turkish protectorate
 * The United States of the Ionian Islands and the  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.
 * 🇪🇬 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (1899–1956)
 * Independent State of Croatia (1941–1943)
 * Allied-occupied Germany (1945–1949)
 * 🇦🇹 Allied-occupied Austria (1945–1955)