What is a State?
A state can be defined as a collection of politically organized people living in a specific geographical unit and having an organized and legitimate government (Dibie, 2008).
In order to exercise its sovereignty within its territory, a state must be free from any form of external control. It is important to note that a state is different from a kingdom and an empire.
Nigeria is an example of a state while Benin is a good example of a kingdom. For a state to exist, it must have the following properties.
Features of a State
1. Population – Without people there is no state, because it is the people who create the state.
2.Defined Borders/Territory – A state must have defined borders that separate it from other states.
3. Permanence – The state remains permanent, in contrast to the government, which changes regularly.
4. Recognition – A country must be officially recognized internationally and locally in order to participate in national activities such as international trade, world summits, Olympic Games, etc.
5. Sovereignty – the state must be able to determine and implement policies towards its citizens without any external control.
6th row – Last but not least. A country must have a government, even if it is not permanent.
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