| State | Nation |
| (i) A State is a community of persons who occupy a definite territory, have an organized government, and are independent of external control. | (i) A Nation is a group of people who are united in common ties of culture, history, religion, language, etc. |
| (ii) A State is known by a fixed, permanent territory. | (ii) A Nation does not need a territory and can be spread across many States. |
| (iii) State is a political-legal entity. It is a formal and objective condition in law. | (iii) A Nation is a historical-cultural entity. It is a subjective, psychological condition of the spirit. |
| (iv) The State has coercive power and functions through its laws. | (iv) A Nation has no coercive power but functions through its common ties and psychological spirit. |
