Territory

Types of political territories include:

A legally administered territory, which is a non-sovereign geographic area that has come under the authority of another government. For example, American Samoa is a territory of the government of the United States. With regard to the Canadian provinces and territories, the major difference between a Canadian province and a Canadian territory is that the federal government has more direct control over the territories, while the provinces are run by provincial governments empowered by the constitution. The same distinction applies between States and territories of Australia, although Australia also distinguishes the mainland territories from the small insular possessions known as external territories. Under British rule, Hong Kong was often referred to as a territory, rather than a colony from about the 1960s onwards.

An occupied territory, which is a region that is under the military control of an outside power that has not annexed the region. An example of an occupied territory is Iraq after the American invasion of 2003, Afghanistan by the Soviet Union between 1979 and 1989, or Germany after World War II.

A disputed territory, which is a geographic area claimed by two or more rival governments. For example, the territory of Kashmir is claimed by both the governments of India and Pakistan.

A local government unit. The district of the Chatham Islands Council is termed the Chatham Islands Territory, although it is in all legal senses an integral part of New Zealand.