“Close” vs. “Near”: What’s the Difference?

The difference between “close” and “near”

• "Close" (adjective) needs to be followed by a preposition when there is an object (e.g. The house is close to the sea.), while "near" (adverb) does not need to be followed by a preposition (e.g. The house is near the sea.).
• "Close" can be used to describe both physical distance and the strength of a bond in a relationship, while "near" is more commonly used to describe physical distance.
• "Near" can also imply that something is almost but not quite there, while "close" can imply that the thing is already present.

What is the definition of “close” and “near”?

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?