page_title: Colonialism
section_title: Spanish colonies
hierarchical_section_title: Colonialism / List of colonies / Spanish colonies
caption_attribution_description: detail
context_page_description: Colonialism is the policy of a country seeking to extend or retain its authority over other people or territories, generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their religion, economics, and other cultural practices on indigenous peoples. The foreign administrators rule the territory in pursuit of their interests, seeking to benefit from the colonised region's people and resources.
  Colonialism is strongly associated with the European colonial period starting with the 15th century when some European states established colonising empires.
  At first, European colonising countries followed policies of mercantilism, aiming to strengthen the home-country economy, so agreements usually restricted the colonies to trading only with the metropole. By the mid-19th century, however, the British Empire gave up mercantilism and trade restrictions and adopted the principle of free trade, with few restrictions or tariffs. Christian missionaries were active in practically all of the European-controlled colonies because the metropoles were Christian.
context_section_description: Canary Islands
  Cape Juby
  Captaincy General of Cuba
  Spanish Florida
  Spanish Louisiana
  Captaincy General of the Philippines
  Caroline Islands
  Mariana Islands
  Palau Islands
  Ifni
  Río de Oro
  Saguia el-Hamra
  Spanish Morocco
  Spanish Netherlands
  Spanish Sahara
  Spanish Sardinia
  Spanish Sicily
  Viceroyalty of Peru
  Captaincy General of Chile
  Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
  Spanish Guinea
  Annobón
  Fernando Po
  Río Muni
  Viceroyalty of New Granada
  Captaincy General of Venezuela
  Viceroyalty of New Spain
  Captaincy General of Guatemala
  Captaincy General of Yucatán
  Captaincy General of Santo Domingo
  Captaincy General of Puerto Rico
  Spanish Formosa
caption: The Battle of Tétouan, 1860, by Marià Fortuny
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