Nation States

Sweden’s influence in the world is huge in comparison to its population size. Why is this? What is it in the culture and people of Sweden that makes it so disproportionately influential? In this video I hope to provide the answer by an examination of some facts about Sweden, its history and geography.

Russia. It is a country that has been at the forefront of global politics for more than two centuries. Russia is a country that is almost always in the news, as the recent Russia Ukraine conflict demonstrates. It’s a country you simply cannot ignore. At a time of renewed tensions between East and West, its more important than ever that we stop a moment to understand what is Russia and who are the Russians. And this is why I made this country the next in the series on Nation States of Earth.

An archipelago of 7,600 islands, where South-East Asia meets the Pacific. The Philippine Islands are the large islands of Luzon and Mindanao, and the collection of smaller islands between, known as the Visayas, with Palawan far to the west.

Taking up half the continent of South America, Brazil is host to vast array of landscapes and biomes – from the steamy Amazon Rainforests, to the savannah of the Planalto Central, and the lush Atlantic Forests.

This is the story of Iran, once known as Persia. In this video, I explore the long history of Iran through to the controversial present, the diverse geography of Iran of deserts and mountains, the surprisingly complex Iranian Economy and the remarkably rich Iranian culture that has influenced the world in so many ways.

This is the story of Japan. In this video, I explore the long and unique history of Japan, the diverse geography of Japan – an archipelago of mountains, forests and volcanoes, the Japanese Economy – perhaps the most sophisticated in the world, and the remarkably rich Japanese culture that has influenced the world in so many ways.