An enclave is a distinct territorial, cultural, or social unit that is enclosed within or as if within foreign territory. It is a territory, or a small territory as part of a larger one, that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. The word "enclave" is French and first appeared in the mid-15th century as a derivative of the verb "enclaver". Originally, it was a term of property law that denoted the situation of a land or parcel of land surrounded by land owned by a different owner, and that could not be reached for its exploitation in a practical and sufficient manner without crossing the surrounding land.
Enclaves can be distinguished from exclaves, which are territories that are politically attached to a larger piece of land but not physically contiguous with it because it is separated by another state or entity.
In addition to being a geographical term, "enclave" can also refer to a set of system resources that operate in the same security domain and that share the protection of a single, common, continuous security perimeter.
