Satellite country
Just as a
satellite remains trapped in the orbit of a larger body, a
satellite country is a nation that is helplessly trapped within the
sphere of influence of a much larger, powerful country. Satellite countries are thus often virtual
colonies with little independence.
The most frequently-cited examples of satellite countries were dominated by the USSR (Warsaw Pact). They included:
Other
superpowers, including the
United States,
Nazi Germany and
China, are sometimes also said to have had satellite countries.