Colonialism is a practice where one country expands its territory by conquering and establishing settlements in other regions, typically exploiting the resources, labor, and political power of the colonized people. This often involves the imposition of the colonizer's language, culture, and laws on the indigenous population. Colonialism has had significant social, economic, and political impacts on both the colonizing and colonized societies, shaping the course of history and influencing contemporary global issues such as racism, inequality, and decolonization movements.