Country Chronicles

'Country Chronicles' is a British animated television series created by satirist Ian David Hislop, editor of the satirical newspaper Private Eye, and broadcasting primarily on Channel Four. The series is a depiction of global affairs, with countries (or countryhumans) portrayed as humans illustrating ongoing events. The show is set in various settings, but events typically occur in the fictional town of Albion.

Hislop conceived of the series in 1983 after an unfavourable experience at the short-lived chat show Loose Talk, though the idea itself never came into fruition until the show was picked up in an announcement by Channel Four in March 2003. Initially broadcast as a selection of shorts, following positive public reviews, the shorts became a full length series upon the onset of Season Three in 2006.

The series consistently ranks as one of Britain's most viewed TV shows, and has spawned numerous comic book series, satirical depictions of the show itself, video games, books and various other related media, including the popularization of the countryhumans meme, which has garnered significant attention online. A feature length film, Country Chronicles: Tensions Rise, is planned to be released in theatres in January 2024.

The series has received positive critical and commercial acclaim, though has also faced criticism from parent activist groups calling for the show to be banned due to the topics it discusses (see Controversies), and fundamentalist Islamic groups due to a repeated depiction of the prophet Mohammed in the show.