Definition of a state
A state is a centralized political organization that enforces rules over a population within a territory, maintaining a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence. It does not exclude the existence of stateless societies like the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Most human populations have existed within a state system for millennia, with modern nation states being the predominant form.
List of Sovereign States
A sovereign state is a political entity with defined geographical boundaries, a permanent population, a centralized government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. It possesses sovereignty, which entails the exclusive authority to make and enforce laws within its territory.
Sovereign states engage in international relations, maintaining control over domestic and foreign affairs. Key attributes include a defined legal system, currency, military, and the ability to conduct diplomatic relations.
The concept of sovereignty emphasizes independence and self-governance, allowing states to pursue their interests and shape their destinies. In the contemporary international system, sovereign states form the foundational units, contributing to the complex web of global interactions and governance. The international community includes over 200 sovereign states, most represented in the United Nations, who interact in international relations and establish rules, procedures, and institutions for diplomacy between recognized states.