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.
