Political Geography - Concept of Nation and State

Political Geography - Concept of Nation and State

Nation

A nation is a group of people who see themselves as a cohesive and coherent unit based on shared cultural or historical criteria. Nations are socially constructed units, not given by nature. Their existence, definition, and members can change dramatically based on circumstances. Nations in some ways can be thought of as “imagined communities” that are bound together by notions of unity that can pivot around religion, ethnic identity, language, cultural practice and so forth.

State

A State is an independent, sovereign region and its government exercise control over certain spatially defined and bounded area, whose borders are usually clearly defined and internationally recognized by other states.

Vaishali was established as a republic by the 6th century B.C (BCE), prior to the birth of Gautama Buddha in 563 B.C (BCE), making it the world's first republic.

Nation-State

The nation state is a system of organization defined by geography, politics and culture. The nation is cultural identity that is shared by the people, and the state is the governing administration. A nation state must have a shared national identity, physical borders, and a single government.

A nation-state is a political unit with a well-defined territory, inhabited by a people who are well-organised, possess sufficient powers and consider themselves to be a nation by virtue of certain binding factors which may be emotional and which are reflected in law and governance.