International Day Against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations Date in the current year: December 14, 2026

Colonialism is the practice by which a state takes political, economic, social, and cultural control over another territory and its people, often through settlement, exploitation, and the imposition of its own authority. The metropole (colonizing power) monopolizes power by treating conquered lands and peoples as inferior, based on beliefs of entitlement and superiority.

Though different forms of colonialism have existed for millennia, the term primarily describes the European colonial empires that began emerging during the Age of Discovery (15th–17th centuries), when European powers sought new trade routes to gain an advantage over the Ottoman Empire.

Major European colonial empires included those of the British, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, French, German, and Belgians. In the late 19th century, Japan became a colonial power as well, securing control over Taiwan, Korea, and parts of China. Russia, though never officially considered a colonial empire because of its contiguous land expansion rather than overseas expansion, functioned like one. It annexed neighbors through settlement and military force to establish dominance, extract resources, and impose control.

Colonial empires began to collapse in the mid-20th century. The decolonization process was driven by two world wars, which significantly weakened the colonial powers, as well as the rise of nationalist movements in colonized societies. Changing attitudes toward imperialism, pressure from rival superpowers, and the high cost of maintaining a presence in remote colonies accelerated the process, leading to rapid decolonization across Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.

However, the legacies of colonial rule continue to shape political and economic conditions long after formal independence. Modern colonialism describes the ongoing forms of control that exist even after the end of formal empires. It relies on economic pressure, political influence, and cultural dominance rather than direct rule.

Powerful states and corporations can influence weaker countries through debt, trade imbalances, resource extraction, and global institutions, limiting real independence. Media influence and the global spread of values shaped by dominant powers also reinforce these imbalances. While former colonies may be legally independent, these systems often perpetuate the inequalities created by historical colonialism in less visible ways.

In 2025, the United Nations General Assembly established the International Day Against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations. The day aims to raise awareness of the lasting impacts of colonialism on former colonies, including systemic racism and discrimination, economic disparities, political instability, and the dominance of colonial languages and cultural practices. It also serves as a reminder that colonialism continues to exist today.