Patriotism denotes positive and supportive attitudes to a
‘fatherland’ by individuals and groups. The 'fatherland' can be a region or a
city, but patriotism usually applies to a nation and/or a nation-state.
Patriotism covers such attitudes as: pride in its achievements and culture, the
desire to preserve its character and the basis of the culture, and
identification with other members of the nation. Patriotism is closely
associated with nationalism, and the terms are often used synonymously.