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Can a country be considered a state while it has border disputes?

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Detail from School of Athens by Raphael — state Plato (center left) and Aristotle, detail from *School of Athens*, fresco by Raphael, 1508–11; in the Stanza della Segnatura, the Vatican. Plato is shown pointing to the heavens and the realm of forms, Aristotle to the earth and the realm of things.

Yes, a country can be considered a state even while it is involved in border disputes. Under international law, such disputes do not detract from a state's sovereignty or independence.1

While the Montevideo Convention identifies "defined territorial boundaries" as a criterion for statehood, this does not require that those boundaries be undisputed. It is essential, however, that a state maintains a core territory subject to the effective control of its authorities.21

International law emphasizes that sovereign title to territory cannot be acquired through the use of force. Consequently, the international community often refuses to recognize territorial gains made via aggression, as seen in various UN declarations regarding disputed or annexed territories. Ultimately, states have a duty to settle such international disputes by peaceful means to ensure that global peace and security are not endangered.1234