One major characteristic that distinguishes a state from all other lesser political units in the world is state Sovereignty.
State sovereignty is the most important element of the state which describes its self-sufficiency in a specified territory.
This means that the state is at liberty to create laws and govern its citizens without interference from other bigger political structure while maintaining compliance with laws that affect the generality of the nation.
Being a legal entity, states are able to enter into international relations with other states or countries.
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