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state

A state is a political entity that asserts exclusive sovereignty over a defined territory and its population. It is typically endowed with institutions such as a government, a judiciary, and security forces capable of enforcing laws and policies. In international law, a state is recognized as a subject of international relations, with the capacity to enter treaties and to engage with other states.

States may be organized as unitary states, where most governing power is centralized, or as federations, which

Beyond politics, the term state has other meanings. In physics and chemistry, a state refers to the

Within public policy, the state is the central actor responsible for maintaining order, providing public services,

History and theory of the state examine its origins, legitimacy, and evolution from early centralized authorities

distribute
authority
to
subnational
units.
Examples
of
federal
states
include
the
United
States,
Germany,
and
Canada;
examples
of
unitary
states
include
France
and
Japan.
The
balance
of
power
between
central
and
regional
authorities
varies
across
systems
and
can
be
altered
by
constitutional
provisions
and
political
events.
condition
of
a
system
(for
example,
solid,
liquid,
gas)
or
the
oxidation
state
of
an
element.
In
computing
and
mathematics,
a
state
describes
a
particular
configuration
of
a
system,
such
as
a
state
in
a
finite-state
machine
or
a
stateful
program.
enforcing
laws,
and
safeguarding
national
security.
The
concept
of
the
welfare
state
emphasizes
state
involvement
in
social
provision,
economic
regulation,
and
redistribution.
to
modern
nation-states
and
supranational
organizations.
Debates
continue
over
sovereignty,
state
capacity,
and
the
balance
between
centralized
power
and
regional
autonomy.