noun
city-state
A sovereign state consisting of a city and its surrounding territory. Used in historical and political contexts.
古代ギリシャには多くの都市国家が存在した。
Many city-states existed in ancient Greece.
シンガポールは現代の都市国家の一例だ。
Singapore is an example of a modern city-state.
国家 is a general term for 'nation' or 'state', while 都市国家 specifically refers to a city-state.
Compound of 都市 (city) and 国家 (state). The term is a direct translation of the English 'city-state'.