Legal Definitions - part-sovereign state

A part-sovereign state is a political community in which some of the powers of external sovereignty are exercised by the home government, while others are controlled by another political body. This means that the state is not fully independent because it is not allowed complete freedom of action in external affairs.

• Puerto Rico: Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States, which means that it is a part-sovereign state. While Puerto Rico has its own government and can make some decisions independently, it is still subject to the authority of the United States government in many areas.
• Scotland: Scotland is a part-sovereign state within the United Kingdom. While Scotland has its own government and can make some decisions independently, it is still subject to the authority of the UK government in many areas.

These examples illustrate the concept of a part-sovereign state because they both have their own governments and can make some decisions independently, but they are still subject to the authority of another political body in many areas. This means that they are not fully independent and do not have complete freedom of action in external affairs.