Nation

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The definition of a nation is an area of land with a single shared highest authority, over which no other person or group can claim authority without physical conflict. The word nation is related to an ancient word meaning "birth" or "place of birth." Some nations also strongly define themselves as supporting a particular belief, such as the Vatican City, or ethnic group, such as Armenia. Others share an idea, such as Democracy in the United States or Communism in China. Some are controlled by a small minority who have all the power, such as Saudi Arabia, who hold the nation together with the use of this power. Combinations of these parts are common. The highest lawful authority of most nations is a constitution, which defines the roles of its most powerful figures and says how laws are made. Many others derive the legitimacy of their power from a single person who holds an office, such as a King or Pope, or from a long legal tradition without an official Constitution, such as the United Kingdom.

See also: state, country, nationalism