A reserve (called reservation in the United States) is land set aside under the Indian Act for the use and benefit of a First Nation. Reserves were established through treaties, the Indian Act, and other processes as the Crown took control of Indigenous territories. Reserve lands are held in trust by the federal government and governed by band councils under the Indian Act or through self-government agreements. Many reserves face infrastructure deficits and socioeconomic challenges stemming from colonial policies. Reserves represent a small fraction of First Nations' traditional territories. The relationship between reserves and the broader concept of Indigenous land rights and self-determination continues to evolve through legal decisions and negotiations.