Many people use the terms “country” and “nation” interchangeably. But not all nations are countries, nor are all countries nations. A country is the equivalent of a State, and is a political entity. A nation is a group of people with a common heritage and culture. Some nations have a State and are thus called a nation-state. Nation-states include France, Germany, Japan, China, and the United States. Some nations have no State, such as the Kurds and Palestinians. Some States have multiple nations such as Belgium, which is composed of two nations, the Flemings and Walloons.