State

State is a legal person that normally possesses the following qualifications: a permanent population; a defined territory; a government; and a legal capacity to enter into relations with other states. In the context of pubic international law and diplomacy, confirming the status of an entity as a 'state' is a decision normally made individually by other states through proclamation, exchange of ambassadors, etc. In the context of a federation (e.g., States of Australia, Provinces of Canada, Länder of Germany, States of the US), recognition normally takes place in accordance with the constitutional procedures of that federation.

Definitions

According to the CyBOK (version 1),

State. A legal person that normally possesses the following qualifications: a permanent population; a defined territory; a government; and a legal capacity to enter into relations with other states. In the context of pubic international law and diplomacy, confirming the status of an entity as a 'state' is a decision normally made individually by other states through proclamation, exchange of ambassadors, etc. In the context of a federation (e.g., States of Australia, Provinces of Canada, Länder of Germany, States of the US), recognition normally takes place in accordance with the constitutional procedures of that federation.