Colonial status refers to the condition of a territory that is governed by a foreign power. In this arrangement, the colonizing country exerts control over the political, economic, and social aspects of the colony. This often involves the exploitation of resources and the imposition of the colonizer's culture and laws on the local population. Colonial status can lead to significant changes in the lives of indigenous people, including loss of land, cultural assimilation, and economic dependency. Historical examples include the British Empire in India and the Spanish Empire in the Americas, where local governance was replaced by foreign rule.