What is a Nation really?

In a nation where 2/3rds of the people are lacking in shelter, food, medical care, or tangible assets, is that really a “nation” or is it just a piece of land with people on it? Would an actual “nation” look more like Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Netherlands, or Switzerland? Do history books tell us about any actual “nations” where more than half the people were in dire need of the basics of life? Is that more like the story of places that were once nations and then fell apart? I was educated partly in Switzerland, partly in Taiwan. I would gladly return to either country.