It is common for people to get confused between several terms. A few people get confused between a town and a village while a few others get confused between a state and a province.
But one of the most confusing differences is the differences between a city and a state. Both the terms are very different from each other.
Key Takeaways
- A city is an urban area with a large population and infrastructure, while a state is a larger political entity consisting of multiple cities, towns, and rural areas.
- Mayors or city councils govern cities, while governors and state legislatures govern states.
- States have broader powers and responsibilities, such as regulating commerce and education, while cities focus on local issues like zoning and public services.
City vs State
A city is a large or important town that has a local government and a high population density. A state, on the other hand, is a territory with its own government and borders within a larger country, made up of multiple cities, towns, and rural areas.
A city is a large area of settlement that lies with a particular state. A city is larger than a town and a village. But it is smaller than a state.
Several cities are situated in various parts of one state. Within these cities, several villages and towns are located.
A state is a large area that comprises various cities, towns, districts, villages, and provinces. It is larger when compared to a city, town, village, or district.
Countries are comparatively larger than a state. A state is and mandatorily run/ governed by a government. This government is referred to as a state government.
Comparison Table
| Parameters Of Comparison | City | State |
|---|---|---|
| Area Covered | Cities cover approximately 3℅ of the total land surface area in the world. | States cover only 0.07℅ of the world’s total land area. |
| Total Number | There are more than 10,000 cities in the world. | There are approximately 195 to 200 states in the world. |
| Managed By | Cities are run by a municipal government. | States are managed by powerful and individual entities called the state government. |
| In charge | The Mayor is in charge of successfully managing a city. | States are under the control of a Governor. |
| Examples | A few popular cities are: •New York •Paris •Mumbai •Tokyo | A few prominent states are: •Kerala •California •West Bengal •Texas |
What is City?
A city is a large permanent settlement that is densely populated. The population is not majorly involved in agricultural tasks/ activities.
Cities are managed by municipal governments that are controlled by Mayors. Cities have an extensive system of communications, utilities, transportation, production of goods, sanitation, and housing purposes.
A municipal government serves several benefits. It manages various responsibilities of several cities. Responsibility is related to:
- Municipal services
- Transportation
- Finance
- Governance
- Urban Planning
- Communication
- Climatic change
- Social Structure
- Culture
- Infrastructure
- Warfare
- Economics
Cities are increasing in their quantities and numbers. There are approximately more than 10,000 cities in the world.
But the rise in the numbers of cities has been leading to stressing the water bodies, overuse of other resources, forming urban heat islands, and contaminating pollution.
Cities have started noticing an increase in the numbering of metros and transport facilities. Due to this rise in transport services, there has been a growth in the numbering of immigrants and emigrants.
People travel from one city to another city in the searching of education, entertainment, and employment.
More than 10,000 cities are listed in today’s world. A few of these cities are:
What is State?
A state is a marked territory having a government body that controls all the organizations of that specific state. The state government announces and imposes rules and laws over the population.
A state government consists of a governor, officials, and many lawmakers.
States perform several duties daily. A few of these duties are related to:
- Wars – Laws to eliminate or neutralize the state’s rivals.
- State Welfare – Laws to remove the enemies of the state that are present within its own territory.
- Protection – Laws to eliminate the enemies of their clients.
- Extraction – Laws to carry out the above three procedures.
- Adjudication – To settle down local disputes and conflicts between members of a population.
- Distribution – To help equally distribute goods among the members of the state’s population.
- Production – Laws to control and manage the production and transportation of goods that are made by the state’s population.
There are approximately 195 and more states in the world. Each state has a shared economy, politics, and culture. Several states together make up a single country. Every state has its own rules, laws, cultures, and political issues.
Given below is a list of a few famous states in the world:
- California
- Kerala
- Rhode Island
- Philippines
- West Virginia
- Texas
- South Dakota
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- North Dakota
- Washington
Main Differences Between City and State
- A city is run by its Mayor while on the other hand, a state is managed by its state governor.
- The municipal government controls a city while on the other hand, the state government controls a state.
- There are more than 10,000 cities while on the other hand, there are more than 190 states in the world.
- Cities cover 3℅ of the world’s land area while on the other hand, states cover 0.07% of the world’s land area of the world.
- The world’s largest city is Tokyo while on the other hand, Sakha is the largest state in the world.
- https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=city&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3DdtLMUhCZYcgJ
- https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=state&btnG=#d=gs_qabs&u=%23p%3Dz8VEw2UAzf0J
Last Updated : 19 July, 2023
I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️
Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
