Protectorate

A Protectorate was a way an empire controlled a colony. There were a couple different ways they could control a colony but a protectorate is a country or territory with its own internal government but under the control of an outside power. An example would be when Britain established a protectorate over the Niger River Delta. It was good because the country being the protectorate didn't have to be there, but it was also bad because there was a lack of independence for the colony.