This is the 421st most frequent Hebrew word.
מדינת
"State of" or "Country of" (possessive form).
Here, the word 'מדינת' is used to denote 'state of', which precedes the characteristics it defines, such as 'freedom and democracy'.
ישראל היא מדינת חופש ודמוקרטיה.
Israel is a state of freedom and democracy.
Here, 'מדינת' is used to indicate 'state of', elaborating on a political or cultural definition associated with 'the Jews'.
מדינת היהודים הוקמה בשנת 1948.
The State of the Jews was established in 1948.
In this instance, 'מדינת' describes the state pertaining to 'the sea', implying a geographical or positional attribute.