11 Countries that colonized other countries

Colonialism, practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance.  

Colonisation is a practice that most countries in the world have experienced at some point in time except for few countries like Ethiopia, Nepal, Japan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Saudi Arabia, Liberia, Tonga, Iran, China,  and Thailand that were able to withstand the various colonial powers.   

In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their religion, language, economics, and other cultural practices. The foreign administrators rule the territory in pursuit of their interests, seeking to benefit from the colonised region’s people and resources.  

It is important to know that colonization was never a matter of coincidence or by chance. It is rather a premeditated move of the colonial powers motivated by the aim to exploit economic and political benefit from another country.   

Discussed  in this article are 11 countries that colonized other countries in the world and the countries they colonized.    

1. Belgium   

According to Wikipedia,  during its colonisation era, Belgium controlled several colonies and concessions, principally the Belgian Congo (modern DRC) from 1908 to 1960, and Ruanda-Urundi (modern Rwanda and Burundi) from 1922 to 1962. It also had a small concession in Guatemala (1843–1854) and in China (1902–1931) and was a co-administrator of the Tangier International Zone in Morocco.  

According to encyclopedia.com, Belgium created two colonies in Africa: the entities now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly the Republic of Zaire) and the Republic of Rwanda, previously Ruanda-Urundi, a former German African colony that was given to Belgium to administer after the defeat of Germany in World War I. The scramble for colonies was the brainchild of Leopold II, king of Belgium.  

2. United Kingdom (Britain)  

The British Empire was the largest of its kind in history, and once covered about one quarter of all the land on Earth.  

One of the last major colonies to be given up by Britain was Hong Kong which was given back to China on July 1st 1997.  

Britain began colonizing the world back in the 16th century and spread its power through a strong army and by partnering with local authorities to conduct business.  

According to worldatlas.com, Britain had 90 colonies and below are some of them and their year of independence:  

1. Aden protectorate  1967  
2. Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 1956  
3. Auckland Islands 1931  
4. Bahamas  1973  
5. Bahrain 1971  
6. Bangladesh  1971(from Pakistan)  
7. Barbados  1966  
8. Basutoland (Lesotho) 1966  
9. Bechuanaland (Botswana) 1966  
10. Bermuda 1995  
11. British Borneo (Brunei) 1984  
12. British Cameroon  1961  
13. British East Africa (Kenya) 1963  
14. British East Africa (Uganda) 1962  
15. British Egypt (1922)  
16. British Guiana  1966  
17. British Honduras (Belize) 1981  
18. British India 1947  
19. British Malaya (Malaysia) 1957  
20. British Solomon  Islands  1978  

3. France   

According to worldatlas.com, across the world, the dominance of the French as a colonial power was only overshadowed by the British. Between the 19th and 20th centuries, France ruled over colonies that span about 4,980,000 sq. mi.   

Between the 1920s and 1930s, French colonies had an estimated population of about 110 million, half of British India. The first French colonies were in North America, India, and the Caribbean after the Spanish and the Portuguese successfully established colonies.   

The French and the British engaged in a fierce rivalry over colonies during the late 18th and early 19th centuries led to armed conflict in North America and India. France lost the wars and ceased all colonial activities in the region allowing the British to dominate the Indian subcontinent and the North American continent.   

In 1830, France established its first African colony after ceasing Algier followed by several others in South East Asia.   

Other African countries colonized by France include Gambia, Chad, Mali, Togo, Sudan, Gabon, Tunisia, Niger, the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, and several others.   

In North America, France colonized the New France region, Newfoundland, and recent day Haiti.   

Former colonies in the Caribbean include Grenada, Nevis, Sait Croix, Dominica, Tobago and several other Islands.   

In South America, the French took control of parts of Brazil, Iles Malouines, and French Guiana.   

In the Indian Ocean, the major French colony was Mauritius.   

In the Middle East, the major French colony was the French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon.  

4. Germany   

According to Wikipedia, the German Colonial Empire encompassed parts of several African countries, including parts of present-day Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Namibia, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Chad, Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, as well as northeastern New Guinea, Samoa and numerous Micronesian islands.  

5. Italy   

According to study.com, Italy colonized Libya, Somalia, and Eritrea.  

Italy colonized in Africa the countries of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, and Somaliland.  

In 1869, an Italian company began to purchase land in the area of modern-day Eritrea, and by 1885, the Italian government had taken complete control. Following a treaty with Ethiopia in 1889, the Italians declared the colony of Eritrea in 1890. The British captured Eritrea in 1941 during World War II.  

Italy launched an invasion of Ethiopia in the 1880s, but they were repulsed. Prior to the start of World War II, the Italians captured Ethiopia in 1936, but they did not have time to colonize the country.  

In 1911, the Italians launched an invasion of Libya in order to protect Italy’s banking interests in the Ottoman Empire’s territory. In 1912, the Ottomans settled for a peace deal, and they gave Libya to the Italians. Under Italian control, the Libyans forced the Italians to subdue them. When the Fascists took control of Italy, the new government ordered the military to end the resistance, and by 1923, they considered Libya subdued. Allied forces invaded Libya during World War II and controlled it by 1943.  

Three nations had an interest in Somalia, and between 1884 and 1892, Somalia was split between the British, French, and Italians. Italy controlled British and French territory during World War II but ceded that control during the war. 

6. Japan   

According to military-history.fandom.com, below are the countries colonized by Japan at the pre-world war II era and the World War II era.   

Pre–World War II  

Annexed nations   

1. Korea  
2. Taiwan  
3. South Karafuto  
4. Kwantung Leased Territory  
5. South Pacific Mandate, Shandong – formerly of German Empire  

Occupied territories   

1. Manchuria  
2. Russian Far East, Baikal area and Kamchatka – 1918-1927 Japanese and Western anticommunist intervention period  

World War II  

1. Several regions in mainland China  
2. Portuguese Timor  
3. Hong Kong (UK)  
4. French Indochina  
5. Thailand – as an ‘allied’ state although induced  
6. Burma (UK)  
7. British New Guinea  
8. Philippines (USA)  
9. Malaya (UK)  
10. Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India)  
11. Straits Settlements (Singapore)  
12. Sarawak (UK)  
13. Brunei (UK)  
14. British North Borneo  
15. Nauru (Australia, New Zealand and UK)  
16. Dutch East Indies  
17. Guam (USA)  
18. Imphal (India)  
19. Wake Island (USA)  
20. Gilbert and Ellice Islands (UK)  
21. Christmas island (Australia)  
22. Attu, and Kiska (Alaska)    

7. The Netherlands   

According to study.com, the colonies of the Netherlands in Africa were a prominent part of the nineteenth-century Dutch empire.   

After it gained its independence from Spain in 1648, the Netherlands established its own empire throughout the world. Dutch colonies were established throughout the world, including in the Americas, Asia, and Africa. The Dutch colonies in Africa played an important part in the international economy from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century. The main aspects of the Dutch colonies were:  

They were primarily settled by private companies, known as trading companies. The trading companies connected the economy of the colony to that of the Netherlands in general.  

In terms of resource allocations, most colonies were primarily meant to provide goods and enslaved persons to other colonies rather than directly to the Netherlands.  

Profit to the Netherlands was a product of the economic benefit to the Dutch trading companies that managed the colonies.  

8. Dutch Colonies List  

The largest and most significant Dutch colonies that existed throughout the world were:  

• Asia  

1. Indonesia  
2. Sri Lanka  
3. Taiwan  

• Africa  

1. Cape Town/South Africa  
2. French Guinea  
3. Ghana  
4. Ivory Coast  

• North America  

1. Albany  
2. New Amsterdam  
3. New Netherland  

• South America  

1. Brazil  
2. Guyana  
3. Suriname  

Some of the most important former Dutch colonies are:  

South Africa/Cape Town: The descendants of Dutch settlers in this nation speak Afrikaans, a language that is descended from the Dutch language.  

Brazil: Dutch colonies in the region of Brazil are said to be the only Dutch colonies that were created primarily with the territorial expansion of the empire in mind. As with many other Dutch colonies, control of this colony was lost by the Dutch and given to Portugal in 1654.  

9. Denmark – Norway   

Though not a country often associated with colonialism, Denmark (or Denmark–Norway during the union between the two countries) had an empire. Today, the only two overseas lands that remain a part of the Kingdom of Denmark are Greenland and the Faroe Islands, both with varying degrees of autonomy.  

Like other European seafaring nations Denmark engaged in establishing trading stations and colonies in different parts of the world from the 17th century onwards. Geographically they were located in the northern Atlantic, the southern Atlantic and in Asia.  

In the northern Atlantic they included Greenland, Iceland and the Faeroe Islands. In the southern Atlantic they included The Danish West Indies in the Caribbean, The Gold Coast in Western Africa and in Asia Denmark established a small colony in Tranquebar and trading station in Serampore.  

10. Portugal   

According to worldatlas.com, located on the western side of the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal is a small nation that had colonies in South America, Asia, and Africa.   

With the financial aid of Prince Henry the Navigator, famous explorers such as Vasco de Gama and Bartolomeu Dias led the exploration of these territories.  

These colonies, as was the case with other colonial powers, were established in order to source for resources such as gold and agricultural goods as well as spread Christianity.   

The gradual decline of the Portuguese empire was brought about by their small population, which led to a shortage of workers to look after the colonies as they kept on expanding into new territories.  

Below is a table showing the former Portuguese Colonies  

11. Spain   

According to worldatlas.com,  like other superpower nations in history, Spain once traveled the oceans looking for countries to occupy and control in the name of wealth, prosperity, and world domination.   

During the 15th and 16th centuries, Spain led Europe as a global explorer and a colonial force expanding its power worldwide, beginning with Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the Americas in 1492.   

From this time up until the early 19th century, this nation held colonies in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Africa. These were geographic locations with bountiful natural resources and strategic ports on popular trade routes.  

Below is a table showing the former Spanish colonies and their year of independence:  

12. United States of America   

According to study.com, following the Spanish-American War, the Spanish colonies of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines were given to the United States in a transfer of colonial authority. Puerto Rico and Guam are still American territories today.  

ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

• 2023: Wike Opens Up On PDP Crisis

• Arms For Amotekun: South-West States May Drag FG To Supreme Court

• Bankers Fleeing Nigeria’s Stagnating Economy As ‘Japa’ Beckons