Territorial Status

Territorial status refers to the legal and political relationship between a territory and a governing authority, typically a country. Territories may have different levels of autonomy and rights compared to full states. For example, some territories might be managed directly by a country, while others have self-governing powers. Their residents may have limited political representation, and the rights afforded to them can differ from those of citizens in fully recognized states. Examples include U.S. territories like Puerto Rico or Guam, which are governed by U.S. laws but do not have full voting rights in federal elections.