buffer state vs country

buffer state and country both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
buffer state	Yes	No	No	No
country	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, country is a hypernym of buffer state; that is, country is a word with a broader meaning than buffer state:

Other hypernyms of buffer state include land, state.

buffer state (noun)	country (noun)
a small neutral state between two rival powers	a politically organized body of people under a single government
	the people who live in a nation or country
	the territory occupied by a nation
	an area outside of cities and towns
	a particular geographical region of indefinite boundary (usually serving some special purpose or distinguished by its people or culture or geography)