Which statement best describes de jure sovereignty?

• A. It is sovereignty evidenced only by military power.
• B. It is sovereignty that exists primarily without international recognition.
• C. It is sovereignty defined by economic power.
• D. It is sovereignty that exists only within a single state.

Answer: (B)

De jure sovereignty is the legal status of a state as a sovereign under international law. It means that the state’s independence and authority are recognized by other states and international organizations, giving it the formal rights and obligations of sovereignty—such as entering treaties, engaging in diplomatic relations, and being a subject of international law—regardless of how much power it exercises in practice. This emphasis on formal recognition distinguishes de jure sovereignty from mere power in practice. The description that it exists primarily without international recognition does not fit this legal-status emphasis, since recognition by others is what establishes de jure sovereignty. The other options focus on military or economic power or on existing within a single state, which relate to how sovereignty might be exercised or perceived rather than its recognized legal status.