Final answer:
Option (c). A country is the term that best represents the combination of regime, state, and government; it refers to a geographic territory with a sovereign government and a collective identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
The shorthand term for the combination of regime, state, and government is referred to as a country. This term describes a defined geographic territory with a sovereign government. A country may also be considered a state, especially in international relations, where countries like India or the United States are referred to as states.
Meanwhile, a nation typically refers to a group of people connected by common history, religion, or ethnic background. Therefore, when these elements - a government, geographic territory, and collective identity - come together, they constitute what is commonly understood as a country.