What is the difference between a nation and a country? Are they both the same thing?

Question

What is the difference between a nation and a country? Are they both the same thing?

Answer 1

Why are you asking all these questions about nations and countries when you clearly think you already know the answer?  

I see you have already deleted your other question about whether Scotland is a country or not.  

If you really want to know, why not do some proper research, instead of asking on Y!A?

Answer 2

Nation - human cultural and social community

Country - political division of a geographical entity

Answer 3

The terms are generally used interchangeably, though they don't hold the exact same meanings.

I guess "nation" infers a collective community group, while a country infers, well, that's obvious.