Colonialism is a historical and socio-political system where a dominant power, typically from another territory or country, extends its control over another region or group of people. It involves the exploitation, subjugation, and economic, cultural, and political influence of the colonized region or people by the colonizing power for their own benefit and interests. This control often includes altering local institutions, culture, and land ownership to suit the colonizer's objectives. The effects of colonialism have had a lasting impact on the colonized nations, shaping their development, social structures, and relationships with the world.