Definition: A state is a sovereign association of people who live within a defined territory and is administered by a government that is competent to secure habitual obedience from the people within it. It may also be defined as a politically organized body of people occupying definite geographical territory with an organized government that is entirely free from external control, and which possesses coercive power to secure obedience from its people. In government, the term "state" does not refer to component or regional parts of a country, rather, the term refers to an independent or sovereign country. Thus, examples of states are Nigeria, Ghana, USA, Britain, China, India, etc.
