Recognize that there are dozens of territories and colonies that are sometimes erroneously called “countries” but don’t count at all – they’re governed by other countries. Places commonly confused as being countries include Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Greenland, Palestine, Western Sahara, and even the components of the United Kingdom (such as Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England – they’re not fully independent countries, states, or nation-states).

Is England not actually a country?

England is not self governed so not a country?

Recognised as country of course.

That’s an American quote? I’d give it 10/10 for knowing that there is at least a world outside of the U.S.

Dunno where you got your quote from but even within that there are inconsistencies. To write that “they’re not fully independent countries” indicates that they are countries of a different sort – i.e. ones which are not fully independent.

Sloppy use of the English language.

I suppose the “nation state” is “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” so in that definition, no, England is not a country. More of a “province” within the UK.
Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland having devolved governments make it more confusing, as what’s left over is England… but England doesn’t have its own devolved government…

And then we get into the “Holland” vs “The Netherlands” confusion – Holland is a province within The Netherlands, but most English folks are sloppy and call the whole country “Holland”, even when referring to, for example, Zeeland

America: North America, South America, Central America or The United States of America? yada yada yada

http://geography.about.com/cs/countries/a/numbercountries.htm

they’re not fully independent countries

Irrelevant bollox imo……..a country does not cease to be a country because it is not fully independent.

Iraq did not cease to be a country whilst it was under occupation – it was still a country. The example they give of Western Sahara is also false – it didn’t cease to be a country because Morocco attacked and invaded it. All the countries which were part of the British empire were still countries.