Satellite state

Satellite state is a political term that refers to a country which is formally independent but which is primarily subject to the domination of another, larger power. The term has been coined by analogy to stellar objects orbiting a larger object, such as planets revolving around the sun, and was initially used to refer to Central and Eastern European countries of the Warsaw Pact during the Cold War. It implied that the countries in question were "satellites" under the hegemony of the Soviet Union. Other countries in the Soviet sphere of influence during the Cold War - such as North Korea (especially in the decades surrounding the Korean War) and Fidel Castro's Cuba (particularly after joining the Comecon) - were sometimes also labeled as satellite states.

Related Topics:
Orbiting - Central - Eastern Europe - Warsaw Pact - Cold War - Hegemony - Soviet Union - North Korea - Korean War - Fidel Castro - Cuba - Comecon

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