States claim and administer portions of the Earth’s surface. Territory is the geographic area under the jurisdiction of a political authority. It includes land, internal waters, and, under modern law, adjacent maritime zones.

Territorial integrity is a core principle of international relations. Borders define the limits of territory, though some remain disputed. Within its territory a state exercises sovereignty—making and enforcing laws, controlling resources, and regulating entry.

Territory can also refer to non-sovereign administrative units or to the defended home ranges of animals. In political geography the term emphasizes the spatial expression of power. Changes in territory through conquest, treaty, or secession reshape the world map.

• Area under the jurisdiction of a state
• Defined by borders and legal recognition
• Basis for the exercise of sovereignty
• Can be contested or transferred