Buck Wild: 50 Countries in a Trench Coat (Fun w/ Maps Pt. 4)

In Part 4 of Fun w/ Maps, Kyle and Rae go back into the comments to see what people had to say about the idea that one of America’s biggest strengths is its ability to function as one country despite being enormous, geographically scattered, and culturally all over the place. Some commenters brought up Canada. Others pointed to Brazil, Australia, Russia, and China. Some agreed with the premise. We very much did not. So naturally, we start pulling those comparisons apart. How unified are other large countries, really? How much of that unity comes from geography, population distribution, political structure, shared culture, or simply the fact that borders have had a few centuries to settle in? Along the way we get into Australia and Nauru, where Brazil’s population actually lives, Russia and China as comparisons, and one commenter’s extremely efficient description of the United States as: “50 countries in a trench coat.” Which, annoyingly, is pretty hard to argue with. Before all of that, however, there is also some unfinished map business involving Iberia, the rain in Spain, and an entirely unnecessary argument about musicals. IN THIS VIDEO • Responding to comments from “The US’s Superpower Is Unity” • Canada, Brazil, Australia, Russia, and China as comparisons • What people mean when they call a large country “unified” • Geography vs. population distribution • Australia and Nauru • Where Brazil’s population is concentrated • “50 countries in a trench coat” • Iberia and the rain in Spain • A completely avoidable argument about musicals CHAPTERS 00:00 Iberia, Spain & the Musical Incident 02:46 Everyone Hates Musicals* 04:35 Okay, Back to Maps 04:46 What Actually Makes a Country Unified? 05:42 Australia, Nauru, Russia & China 08:16 Fifty Countries in a Trench Coat 09:16 Hold Onto Your Butt: We’re Going Back in Time *Terms and conditions apply. Trey Parker and Matt Stone have earned an exemption. Subscribe for presidential history, maps, geography, historica