Why do countries exist

By Ryan O'Hara

A dive into every country's history and why they exist. I also do episodes on political parties throughout the world or just talking about stuff that interests me!

email:[email protected]... more

4.6

1616 ratings

Download on the App Store

Download on the App Store

Get it on Google Play

FAQs about Why do countries exist:

How many episodes does Why do countries exist have?

The podcast currently has 130 episodes available.

Why do countries exist episodes:

January 29, 2026 Episode 54: The History of Djibouti
Reuploading as an earrlier version was accidently uploaded as a MP4. I apologize if anyone sees this twice

History of Djibouti

Munaty cooking: https://www.munatycooking.com/skoudehkaris/

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/sources-for-djibouti-episode

Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797

Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist

Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7

Intro 0:00

Country profile 1:30

Early history 4:22

Early modern history 6:39

French Somaliland 8:03

Independence and civil war 14:59

Current history and politics 19:45

Conclusion, outro and sources 25:12
...more
29min
January 26, 2026 Episode 54: the History of Djibouti
history of Djibouti

Munaty cooking: https://www.munatycooking.com/skoudehkaris/

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/sources-for-djibouti-episode

Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797

Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist

Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7

Intro 0:00

Country profile 1:30

Early history 4:22

Early modern history 6:39

French Somaliland 8:03

Independence and civil war 14:59

Current history and politics 19:45

Conclusion, outro and sources 24:12
...more
2min
December 27, 2025 Thai Political Parties
A look at Thai Political Parties

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/

Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797

Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist

Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7

Intro 0:00

Background and political structure 0:53

People's party 6:11

Pheu Thai 10:09

Bhumjaithai party (Proud Thai party) 14:33

United Thai Nation (UTN) 17:51

Kla Tham Party 21:12

Democrat party 22:23

Palang Pracharath (PP) 26:09

Chart Thai Pattana (CTPP) 28:17

Prachachart 29:45

Thai Sang Thai 30:46

Other parties 31:27

Conclusion and outro 32:55
...more
36min
December 06, 2025 Hungarian Political Parties
Small correction: at 14:41 I say there was a controversial speech in 2016, it actually was 2006. My Bad!

A look at Hungarian Political Parties

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/

Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797

Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist

Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7

Intro 0:00

Background and political structure 1:05

Fidesz 4:41

Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP) 10:59

National Self-Government of German in Hungary (LDU) 12:52

Democratic Coalition (DK) 13:51

Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) 18:30

Other ex-united For Hungary parties 19:57

Our Homeland Movement (MHM) 24:21

Tisza party 27:32

Minor Parties 30:57

Outro and rambling 32:18
...more
38min
November 17, 2025 Episode 53: the History of Denmark
A history of Denmark

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/sources-for-denmark-episode

Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797

Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist

Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7

Intro 0:00

Country profile and some sources 1:34

Early history 7:38

Viking age/medieval Denmark 9:13

Kalmer union and Denmark-Norway 14:11

Absolutism 20:47

Schleswig wars and mass politics 24:25

Industrialization to world war 2 31:05

Current politics 35:43

Conclusion, outro and sources 41:03
...more
44min
September 30, 2025 Greenlandic Political Parties
A look at the Political Parties of Greenland

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/

Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797

Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist

Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7

Intro 0:00

Background and political structure 0:53

Danish parties 5:43

Atassut (Cohesion) 6:36

Democrats 9:24

Inuit Ataqatgiit (IA) 13:00 ad

Siumut (Forward) 16:43

Naleraq (Point of orientation) 20:09

Qulleq (Lamp) 22:58

Outro 23:43
...more
26min
September 14, 2025 Czech Political Parties
A look at the Political Parties of the Czech Republic

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/

Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797

Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist

Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7

Intro 0:00

Background and political structure 0:55

ANO (yes) 5:11

SPOLU (ODS, TOP 09, Peoples Party) 9:51

Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) 17:08

Mayor and Independents (Stan) 21:57

Czech Pirate Party 26:40

Stacilo (Communists, Social Democrats and others) 31:20

Oath and Motorists 38:54

Minor parties 40:19

Outro 41:32
...more
43min
August 26, 2025 Episode 52: the History of the Czech Republic
A history of the Czech republic

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/sources-for-the-czech-republic-episode

Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797

Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist

Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7

Intro 0:00

Country profile 1:20

Early history 4:31

Medieval Moravia and Bohemia 5:42

Hussites and Protestantism 9:04

Habsburg domination 13:02

First and second Czechoslovak republic 19:08

World war 2 and Third republic 25:13

Communist Czechoslovakia 30:48

"Socialism" and "Stalinism with a human face" 34:04

Velvet revolution, divorce and hangover 38:07

Current politics and history 41:26

Conclusion, outro and sources 44:26
...more
47min
July 06, 2025 Singaporean Political Parties
A look at the Political Parties of Singapore

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/

Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797

Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist

Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7

Intro 0:00

Background and political structure 0:54

People's Action party (PAP) 5:14

Workers' party (WP) 9:56

Progress Singapore Party (PSP) 13:55

Red Dot United (RDU) 15:11

Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) 16:03

Other parties 17:14

Outro 18:04
...more
20min
June 24, 2025 Lithuanian Political Parties
A look at Lithuanian political parties

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/

Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797

Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist

Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7

Intro 0:00

Background and political structure 1:16

Social Democratic party of Lithuania (LSDP) 3:20

Dawn of Nemunas (NA) 7:48

Union of Democrats for Lithuania (DSVL) 11:40

Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) 14:26

Liberals' movement (LS) 18:25

Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVZS) 21:09

Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance (LLRA-KSS) 25:29

National Alliance (NS) 27:15

Center-Right Union 28:02

Freedom Party (LP) 29:28

People and Justice Union (TTS) 30:53

Minor parties 32:14

Outro 33:51
...more
36min

FAQs about Why do countries exist:

How many episodes does Why do countries exist have?

The podcast currently has 130 episodes available.

More shows like Why do countries exist

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,923 Listeners

Heavyweight by Pushkin Industries

Heavyweight

17,680 Listeners

Pod Save America by Pod Save America

Pod Save America

87,980 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

113,075 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,825 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,491 Listeners

The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

The Rest Is History

15,818 Listeners

If Books Could Kill by Michael Hobbes & Peter Shamshiri

If Books Could Kill

9,417 Listeners