Which of the following items is a defining characteristic of a nation-state? a. It has elections. b. It has a defined territory (land enclosed by borders). c. It has its own postage stamps. d. Its territory is contiguous (there are no gaps).

The correct option is d. Its territory is contiguous.

Explanation:

By contiguous we mean that there is not a separation between the borders and that the whole territory is reflective of the settlements of the dominant population comprising the nation state. This makes the border's restrictions quite lenient as the border revolve around the settlements of the dominant group.