![[HomePage]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/meta/3/32/Wiki_orig_logo.png){kind=logo}
A country, or nation state, is a geographical area and an independent political entity with its own government, administration, laws, often a constitution, police, military, tax rules, and people. For the history of the development of the modern nation state, see nation state.
Sometimes, parts of nation states with a distinct history or culture are called "countries": Wales and Scotland both are sometimes called countries, even though they are not nation states.