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{{Distinguish|Administrative division{{!}}Constituent country}}
[[File:1-12 Political Color Map World.png|thumb|upright=1.8|2011 map showing countries with full recognition and one [[List of states with limited recognition|UN non-member state]]; some [[List of territorial disputes|disputed territories]] are not shown]]

A '''country''' is a region that is identified as a distinct national entity in [[political geography]]. A country may be an independent [[sovereign state]] or part of a larger state,<ref>Jones, J. (1964). ''What Makes a Country? Human Events'', '''24'''(31), 14.</ref> as a non-[[sovereignty|sovereign]] or formerly sovereign [[political division]], or a geographic region associated with sets of previously independent or differently associated [[nation|people]] with distinct political characteristics. Regardless of the physical geography, in the modern internationally accepted legal definition as defined by the [[League of Nations]] in 1937 and reaffirmed by the [[United Nations]] in 1945, a resident of a country is subject to the independent exercise{{clarify|date=April 2017}} of legal jurisdiction.{{CN|date=March 2018}}

''Countries'' can refer both to sovereign states and to other political entities,<ref>{{cite AustLII|FCA|912|1997|litigants=Tjhe Kwet Koe v Minister for Immigration & Ethnic Affairs |date=8 September 1997 |courtname=auto}}.</ref> while other times it can refer only to [[State (polity)|states]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://geography.about.com/cs/politicalgeog/a/statenation.htm| title=Geography: Country, State, and Nation |accessdate=2008-11-12 |last=Rosenberg |first=Matt}}</ref> For example, the ''[[CIA World Factbook]]'' uses the word in its "Country name" field to refer to "a wide variety of dependencies, areas of special sovereignty, [[uninhabited islands]], and other entities in addition to the traditional countries or independent states".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/docs/notesanddefs.html#T |title=The World Factbook |publisher=CIA|accessdate=2012-02-16}}</ref><sup id=Note_1>[[#Notes|[Note 1]]]</sup>

==Etymology and usage==


The word ''country'' comes from [[Old French]] ''contrée'', which derives from [[Vulgar Latin]] (''terra'') ''contrata'' ("(land) lying opposite"; "(land) spread before"), derived from ''contra'' ("against, opposite"). It most likely entered the English language after the [[Norman invasion of England|Franco-Norman invasion]] during the 11th century.

In English the word has increasingly become associated with political divisions, so that one sense, associated with the [[indefinite article]] – "a country" – through misuse and subsequent conflation is now a [[synonym]] for state, or a former [[sovereign state]], in the sense of sovereign territory or "district, native land".<ref>[[OED]], Country</ref> Areas much smaller than a political state may be called by names such as the [[West Country]] in England, the [[Black Country]] (a heavily industrialized part of England), "[[Constable Country]]" (a part of [[East Anglia]] painted by [[John Constable]]), the "big country" (used in various contexts of the [[American West]]), "coal country" (used of parts of the US and elsewhere) and many other terms.<ref name="oed">{{cite encyclopedia| editor = John Simpson, Edmund Weiner | encyclopedia = Oxford English Dictionary| edition = 1971 compact | publisher = Oxford University Press| location = Oxford, England| isbn = 0198611862}}</ref>

The equivalent terms in French and other [[Romance language]]s (''[[Pays (France)|pays]]'' and variants) have not carried the process of being identified with political sovereign states as far as the English "country", instead derived from, [[pagus]], which designated the territory controlled by a medieval [[count]], a title originally granted by the Roman Church. In many European countries the words are used for sub-divisions of the national territory, as in the [[States of Germany|German Bundesländer]], as well as a less formal term for a sovereign state. France has very many "pays" that are officially recognised at some level, and are either [[natural region]]s, like the [[Pays de Bray]], or reflect old political or economic entities, like the [[Pays de la Loire]].

A version of "country" can be found in the modern [[French language]] as ''contrée'', based on the word ''cuntrée'' in [[Old French]],<ref name="oed" /> that is used similarly to the word "pays" to define non-state regions, but can also be used to describe a political state in some particular cases. The modern Italian ''contrada'' is a word with its meaning varying locally, but usually meaning a [[Ward (country subdivision)|ward]] or similar small division of a town, or a village or hamlet in the countryside.

==Sovereignty status==
{{See also|List of sovereign states}}

The term "country" can refer to a [[sovereign state]]. There is no universal agreement on the number of "countries" in the world since a number of states have [[List of states with limited recognition|disputed sovereignty status]]. There are [[List of sovereign states|206 sovereign states]], of which 193 states are members of the [[United Nations]], two states have observer status at the U.N. (the [[Holy See]] and [[State of Palestine|Palestine]]), and 11 other states are neither a member or observer at the U.N. All are defined as states by [[declarative theory of statehood]] and [[constitutive theory of statehood]]. The latest proclaimed state is [[South Sudan]] in 2011.

Although not sovereign states, [[England]], [[Scotland]], [[Wales]] and [[Northern Ireland]] are [[Countries of the United Kingdom|countries]] (depending on context), which collectively form the [[United Kingdom]]—a sovereign state that is commonly, but erroneously referred to as a country. The United Kingdom is a Union of four separate countries brought about by a series of International treaties and legislated for by several Acts of Union, the first of which being the [[Acts of Union 1707]] in both the English and Scottish parliaments. While a political Union was created, Scotland and England retained a distinct church, legal system and education system, as a result, the issue of Sovereignty is different in the two countries, in Scotland Sovereignty lies with the people, whereas in England Sovereignty lies with Parliament and the Monarch. [[Lord President of the Court of Session|Lord President]] ([[Thomas Cooper, 1st Baron Cooper of Culross|Lord Cooper]] stated that "the principle of the unlimited sovereignty of Parliament is a distinctively English principle which has no counterpart in Scottish Constitutional Law", and that legislation contrary to the Act of Union would not necessarily be regarded as constitutionally valid. <ref>{{cite book|last1=Loveland|first1=Ian|title=Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Human Rights: A Critical Introduction|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=2015|isbn=9780198709039|pages=43–47|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=y7S6BwAAQBAJ&pg=PA43#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Doherty|first1=Michael|title=Public Law|date=2016|publisher=Rutledge|isbn=1317206657|pages=198–201|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=065TDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA198#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Barnett|first1=Hilaire|title=Constitutional & Administrative Law|date=2014|publisher=Rutledge|isbn=1317446224|pages=119–123|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tzScBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA119#v=onepage&q&f=false}}</ref><ref name="Lib of Congress">{{cite web|url=https://www.loc.gov/law/help/uk.php|title=Legal Research Guide: United Kingdom|publisher=[[Law Library of Congress]]|date=2009-07-23|accessdate=2013-03-29|quote=The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the collective name of four countries, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The four separate countries were united under a single Parliament through a series of Acts of Union.}}</ref><ref name="Number 10">{{cite web |url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page823 |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080909013512/http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page823 |dead-url=yes |archive-date=2008-09-09 |title=Countries Within a Country |publisher=[[10 Downing Street]]|date=2003-01-10|accessdate=2009-09-22|quote=The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.}}</ref><ref name="commonwealth">{{cite web|url=http://www.thecommonwealth.org/YearbookInternal/139598/geography/|title=United Kingdom — Geography|publisher=[[Commonwealth Secretariat]]|date=2009-09-22|accessdate=2009-09-22|quote=The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) is a union of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324062517/http://www.thecommonwealth.org/YearbookInternal/139598/geography/|archivedate=2009-03-24|df=}}</ref><ref name="Europa">{{cite web|url=http://europa.eu/youth/travelling_europe/index_uk_en.html|title=Travelling Europe — United Kingdom|publisher=[[European Commission]]|accessdate=2009-09-22|date=2009-06-29|work=European Youth Portal|quote=The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205110409/http://europa.eu/youth/travelling_europe/index_uk_en.html|archivedate=2010-02-05|df=}}</ref> The [[Danish Realm|Kingdom of Denmark]], a sovereign state, comprises [[Mainland Denmark]] and two nominally separate countries—the [[Faroe Islands]], and [[Greenland]]—which are almost fully internally self-governing. The [[Kingdom of the Netherlands]], a sovereign state, comprises four separate countries: Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten.

The degree of autonomy of non-sovereign countries varies widely. Some are possessions of sovereign states, as several states have overseas territories (such as [[French Polynesia]] or the [[British Virgin Islands]]), with citizenry at times identical and at times distinct from their own. Such territories, with the exception of distinct [[dependent territories]], are usually listed together with sovereign states on lists of countries, but may nonetheless be treated as a separate "[[country of origin]]" in international trade, as [[Hong Kong]] is.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thuytiencrampton.com/2010/07/07/made-in-the-british-crown-colony/|title=Made In The British Crown Colony|work=Thuy-Tien Crampton|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407075644/http://thuytiencrampton.com/2010/07/07/made-in-the-british-crown-colony/|archivedate=2014-04-07|df=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.delcampe.net/page/item/id,41342017,var,MATCHBOX-LABEL-MADE-IN-HONG-KONG,language,E.html#.Uzrl3vmSwZg|title = Matchbox label, made in Hong Kong|work = delcampe.net|deadurl = yes|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20140401162502/http://www.delcampe.net/page/item/id,41342017,var,MATCHBOX-LABEL-MADE-IN-HONG-KONG,language,E.html%23.UzroWH3LfK5#.Uzrl3vmSwZg|archive-date = 1 April 2014|df = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.contractortalk.com/f40/carrhart-made-hong-kong-27324/|title=Carrhart Made In Hong Kong?|work=ContractorTalk}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Countries|Geography}}
* [[City network]]
* [[Constituent state]]
* [[List of sovereign states and dependent territories by continent]]
* [[Lists of countries and territories]]
* [[Micronation]]
* [[Nation]]
* [[Sovereign state]]

==Notes==
<div class="reflist">
# '''[[#Note 1|^]]''' General information or statistical publications that adopt the wider definition for purposes such as illustration and comparison include:.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.countryreports.org/country.aspx?countryid=96&countryName=countryid=96&countryName=Greenland |title=Greenland Country Information |publisher=Countryreports.org |accessdate=2008-05-28 }} {{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2078rank.html |title=The World Factbook – Rank Order – Exports |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |accessdate=2008-11-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heritage.org/index/countries.cfm |title=Index of Economic Freedom |publisher=The Heritage Foundation |accessdate=2008-11-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/topten.cfm |title=Index of Economic Freedom – Top 10 Countries |publisher=The Heritage Foundation |accessdate=2008-11-12 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080124041217/http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/topten.cfm |archivedate=2008-01-24 |df= }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/chapters/pdf/index2007_RegionA_Asia-Pacific.pdf |title=Asia-Pacific (Region A) Economic Information |format=PDF |publisher=The Heritage Foundation |accessdate=2008-11-12 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081114104006/http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/chapters/pdf/index2007_RegionA_Asia-Pacific.pdf |archivedate=2008-11-14 |df= }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://umich.edu/news/happy_08/HappyChart.pdf |title=Subjective well-being in 97 countries |format=PDF |publisher=University of Michigan |accessdate=2008-11-12 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819200343/http://umich.edu/news/happy_08/HappyChart.pdf |archivedate=2008-08-19 |df= }}</ref><ref>[http://www.mercer.com/costofliving Mercer's 2012 Cost of Living Survey city rankings] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725183008/http://www.mercer.com/costofliving |date=July 25, 2008 }}. Mercer.com (2008-12-18). Retrieved on 2013-07-12.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://country.eiu.com/AllCountries.aspx|title=Country, industry and risk analysis from The Economist Intelligence Unit – List of countries – The Economist Intelligence Unit|author=EIU Digital Solutions|work=eiu.com}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite web|url=http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/measuring-misery-around-world#http://object.cato.org/sites/cato.org/files/images/globe-may-2014-4-bg.jpg|title=Measuring Misery around the World|date = May 2014|last = Hanke |first = Steve H.|work=Cato Institute}}</ref>
</div>

==References==
{{Reflist}}


==Further reading==
* [http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15868439 Defining what makes a country] ''The Economist''

==External links==
{{sister project links|d=Property:P17}}
* [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html The CIA World Factbook]
* [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ Country Studies] from the [[United States Library of Congress]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090108200417/http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/foreigngovt.htm Foreign Information by Country] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20080625035909/http://ucblibraries.colorado.edu/govpubs/for/foreignalpha.htm Country & Territory Guides] from GovPubs at UCB Libraries
* [http://unstats.un.org/unsd/ United Nations statistics division]

{{Lists of countries and territories by continent}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Countries| ]]
[[Category:Human geography]]

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