Meaning of State

What is a State?

A state is defined as a politically organized body of people occupying a definite geographical territory with an organized government, free from external control, with the power to make and enforce the law that the people obey. e.g. Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, USA, etc.

Independent countries may be called states.

Features of a State:

(i) Definite Geographical Territory: Each state occupies a given area of the earth’s surface with defined boundaries.

(ii) Government: A person or group of persons that direct the affairs of a state. 

(iii) Recognition: It is a sovereignSovereign has everything to do with power. It often describes a person who has supreme power or authority, such as a king or queen. More entity recognized by the citizens of the state and other countries.

(iv) SovereigntySovereignty is a political concept that refers to dominant power or supreme authority. In a monarchy, supreme power resides in the "sovereign", or king. In modern democracies, sovereign power rests with... More: A state has supreme power over its affairs without external control.

(v) Permanence: States rarely break up. Their structure rarely changes.

(vi) Nationalism: The citizens are loyal to their states. They identify with it and share in the hopes and aspirations of the state.

(vii) Population: The population as a feature of a state connotes the people who make up the state.

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