Listenbourg

Listenbourg
Fictional country Listenbourg map[1][2][3]
Listenbourg flag[4]
Created byGaspard Hoelscher[4][5]
Based onA joke to test the stereotype of Americans having a lack of knowledge of European geography[6]
GenreHumorous internet meme
In-universe information
TypeFictional country
LocationIberian Peninsula, Europe
LocationsLurenberg (capital)
Fluẞerde, Kusterde, Mitteland, Adrias, Caséière (regions)
CharactersGaspardo (president)
Population59,000,000[2][7]

Listenbourg is a fictional country created as the subject of an internet meme in October 2022, which depicts it as an extension of the Iberian Peninsula.[1][2][3] French Twitter user Gaspard Hoelscher shared a doctored map of Europe with a red arrow pointing to the outline of a pasted country adjacent to Portugal and Spain, and joked that Americans would not be able to name the country.[8][6][9]

The nonexistent nation went viral on social networks, with users expanding on the fictional history of the country and some major brands, national politicians, and official organisations playing along with the joke.[10]

  1. ^ a b Rosenblatt, Kalhan (5 November 2022). "Listenbourg is the hottest country on social media right now. The catch? It doesn't exist". NBC News. New York City. Archived from the original on 24 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b c Bremner, Charles (2 November 2022). "Où est Le Listenbourg? French have fun with fictional country". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b Bywater, Thomas (8 November 2022). "Listenbourg: What is it? And why is Ryanair promoting this imaginary EU country?". The New Zealand Herald. Auckland. Archived from the original on 22 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference EveningStandard was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference TimesNow was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Buzz Staff (3 November 2022). "Listenbourg is at the Centre Of a Meme Storm, Here's Why". CNN-News18. New Delhi. Archived from the original on 4 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference LeParisien was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ @gaspardooo (30 October 2022). "Je suis sûr que les américains ne connaissent même pas le nom de ce pays ptdrrr" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ Brezar, Aleksandar (4 November 2022). "What is Listenbourg? Why is it going viral on Twitter? Why did the meme become so big in Europe?". Euronews. Lyon. Archived from the original on 20 November 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  10. ^ Press-Reynolds, Kieran (4 November 2022). "The internet is going wild over Listenbourg, a fake country with a national anthem and TikTokers pretending to be its president". Insider Inc. New York City. Retrieved 25 November 2022.