An "associated state" refers to a political relationship between two countries where one state agrees to cooperate with another on matters such as defense, trade, and foreign affairs, but still retains its own sovereignty. Other terms that can be used to describe this relationship include "dependent territory," "autonomous territory," "self-governing territory," or "semi-autonomous state." In some cases, these terms can refer to a territory that has limited independence or is partially under the control of another country. "Protectorate" is another term that can be used to describe an associated state that is protected and partially controlled by another country. Despite the different terms used to describe this type of relationship, they all involve a level of cooperation and shared decision-making between two sovereign states.