Many people think that nation and country are synonyms. This article will discuss the significant Difference Between Nation and Country.
A nation is defined as a community of people based on common interests like language, ethnicity, territory, etc. A country is defined as a sovereign state or a physical territory with a government.
What is a Nation?
A nation refers to a vast cluster or a group of people populating a specific area based on a standard connection of tradition and culture. Nations are also defined as undiversified teams or groups of people that share a common religion or language or any other establishment.
The term 'nation' is derived from the word 'nacion'. It means the place of origin in the French language.
What is a Country?
The term 'country' is derived from the Old French word 'contree'. A country is referred to as a political entity or a sovereign state. A country has two names: a protocol name and a geographical name. For example, the protocol name of India is the Republic of India, and the geographical name is India.
Difference Between Nation and Country
Given below is a detailed difference between a nation and a country.
Nation | Country |
A nation is defined as a team or group of individuals who share a common link and identity. | A country is defined as a state that applies to self-governing identities in politics. |
All nations are not sovereign. | All countries are sovereign. |
A nation is defined in a geographical aspect. | A country is defined by the same government and in terms of people. |
An example of a nation is the Basque people who live in Spain, but they consider themselves as a different nation because they have a separate ethnicity and interests from the rest of the population | An example of this is the Russian Federation. The states in the Russian Federation follow the rules and regulations of the same governing body. All the states of the Russian Federation are small constituents and adhere to the policies of one government |
Examples of Nations and Country
Examples of Nations -
- Hong Kong
- Bermuda
- Greenland
- Puerto Rico
- Northern Ireland
- Wales, Scotland
- England
Some nations are considered sovereign states, but some are not. Examples of nations that are not sovereign states but hold a territory are:
- Bosnia
- The Indian Nations of the United States
- Sicily
- Tibet
- Quebec
- Corsica
Examples of Countries -
- China
- United States
- Germany
- France
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Australia
- Japan
A nation is identified as a political and cultural community aware of its unity, interests, and autonomy. On the other hand, a country refers to a state governed by independent groups in politics.
We hope that this information has cleared all your doubts regarding the similarities and differences between a nation and a country.
FAQs on Difference Between Nation and Country
Q.1. Give an example to highlight the Difference Between Nation and Country.
An example to highlight the Difference Between Nation and Country is that the nation is the Basque people who live in Spain. They consider themselves a different nation because they have a separate ethnicity and interests from the rest of the population.
Q.2. What is the Difference Between Nation and Country on the basis of sovereignty?
The Difference Between Nation and Country on the basis of sovereignty is that all nations are not sovereign, but all countries are sovereign.
Q.3. Is India a nation or a country?
India is a country. It is located in South Asia and was earlier known as The Republic of India. All the states of India follow the rules of one government. This is a major difference between a nation and a country.
Q.4. Is Canada a country or a nation?
Canada is a North American country. We can infer this from a major difference between a nation and a country, i.e., all constituent states abide by the rules of one government.