2.2.4 1.a - States, sovereignty and territorial integrity

States and nations

A state is a political organisation associated with a population, a territory and governing institutions, while a nation is a community of people who understand themselves as sharing a political or cultural identity.

Statehood concerns organised authority and relations with other states. Nationhood concerns belonging, often connected to shared histories, language, symbols or aspirations. Neither definition requires every resident to share one ethnicity or every person to agree on identity. The term nation-state describes an ideal in which the political state and national community broadly coincide; the actual political map is more complex.

A state can contain several national identities, while a national community can extend across state borders. The United Kingdom illustrates why “state” and “nation” should not simply be used as synonyms: one internationally recognised state includes people with English, Scottish, Welsh, British and other identities, sometimes held together. Identity does not automatically determine a person's view about independence or membership of a state.

This distinction has geographical consequences. A border may separate relatives or people sharing an identity; within a state, regional autonomy can allocate powers without creating a new sovereign state. A demand for cultural recognition is not necessarily a demand for secession. To explain a challenge to the political map, identify what is sought—rights within the state, greater self-government or independent statehood—rather than inferring it from language or ethnicity alone.

Sovereignty and territorial integrity

Sovereignty concerns a state's authority and political independence, while territorial integrity concerns the wholeness and recognised extent of its territory.

Internal sovereignty refers to governing authority within the state. External sovereignty concerns independence in relations with other states and recognition of the state as a political actor. These are related to, but distinct from, effective control. A recognised government may be unable to enforce decisions in an area controlled by an armed group. A powerful state can possess extensive influence without being legally entitled to govern another state's territory.

Territorial integrity protects the state's recognised territory from unlawful fragmentation or acquisition by force. A government can lose effective control over an area without a corresponding lawful change in its international boundary. Conversely, states can agree a boundary settlement or separation through a recognised political and legal process. The method and legitimacy of change matter, not merely the fact that a line moves.

The UN Charter establishes sovereign equality and the prohibition on threats or force against a state's territorial integrity or political independence. Sovereign equality does not mean states have equal wealth, military strength or diplomatic influence. It is a principle governing their legal standing. The Charter also contains rules on peaceful dispute settlement, collective security and self-defence; sovereignty is not an unlimited exemption from international obligations. UN Charter, Articles 2 and 51.

A changing world political map

The political map changes through decolonisation, negotiated independence, state dissolution, unification and disputed territorial claims.