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ARTICLE · 01 OCTOBER 2014

States v. Nations: An International Challenge

Duane Morris LLP
Duane Morris LLP
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The fact that states and nations do not line up neatly on the geographical global map continues to create international problems.

United StatesGovernment, Public Sector

The fact that states and nations do not line up neatly on the geographical global map continues to create international problems.

Under the Montevideo Convention of 1933, a state is defined as "an entity that has a defined territory and a permanent population under the control of its own government, and that engages in or has the capacity to engage in, formal relations with other such entities."

There is no minimum size for a state. Monaco, which is only 1.5 square kilometers, is a state. The Vatican, with a population of only about 300 people, also is considered a state.

The existence of a state relies on the concept of territory -- that area of land, air and water circumscribed by the state's frontiers. And sovereignty is a state's right to exercise its authority within that territory.

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