Characteristics of A State

What is a Nation?

• A particular geographic boundary within which an organized government makes and enforces law

• WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF A HIGHER AUTHORITY

NO ONE TO ANSWER TO

GOVERNMENT

LOWER GOVERNMENTSTATE, LOCAL ETC.

TERRITORY

• Boundaries must be recognized by other nations

POPULATION

• Yes, they must have people.1 China 1,339,190,0002 India 1,184,639,0003 USA 309,975,0004 Indonesia 234,181,400188 Monaco 33,000192 Nauru10,000193 Vatican City800

SOVEREIGNTY

• THE RIGHT, POWER, AND AUTHORITY TO GOVERN ITS OWN PEOPLE

• How does a nation get it?

• By Declaring It

GOVERNMENT

• UNITARY GOVERNMENT

• The unitary system gives the main powers to the central government. State, provincial, and local governments are all created by the central government. The non-central governments have only the powers that are appointed by the central government.

EXAMPLES

France, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom,

GOVERNMENT

FEDERAL GOVERNMENTUnlike the unitary system, the federal system develops when a number of states or provinces federate, or form a union, eventually in order to establish a nation. In a government using the federal system, the powers of the governments are jointly shared between the central government and the more local or regional governments (state, providential, district, etc.)

EXAMPLES

The United States and Canada have federal systems. Other countries that use the federal plan include Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, India, Mexico, and Switzerland.