diff --git a/app/location/__init__.py b/app/location/__init__.py
index 1da5e9e5..3344da63 100644
--- a/app/location/__init__.py
+++ b/app/location/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """app.location"""
 from ..coordinates import Coordinates
-from ..utils import countries
+from ..utils.countries import Country
 from ..utils.populations import country_population
 
 
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ def __init__(
     ):  # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments
         # General info.
         self.id = id
-        self.country = country.strip()
+        self.country = Country(country.strip())
         self.province = province.strip()
         self.coordinates = coordinates
 
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ def country_code(self):
         :returns: The country code.
         :rtype: str
         """
-        return (countries.country_code(self.country) or countries.DEFAULT_COUNTRY_CODE).upper()
+        return (self.country.country_code(self.country) or Country.DEFAULT_COUNTRY_CODE).upper()
 
     @property
     def country_population(self):
diff --git a/app/services/location/jhu.py b/app/services/location/jhu.py
index ebed3960..920ce962 100644
--- a/app/services/location/jhu.py
+++ b/app/services/location/jhu.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 from ...coordinates import Coordinates
 from ...location import TimelinedLocation
 from ...models import Timeline
-from ...utils import countries
+from ...utils.countries import Country
 from ...utils import date as date_util
 from ...utils import httputils
 from . import LocationService
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ async def get_category(category):
                 {
                     # General info.
                     "country": country,
-                    "country_code": countries.country_code(country),
+                    "country_code": Country(country).country_code(),
                     "province": item["Province/State"],
                     # Coordinates.
                     "coordinates": {"lat": item["Lat"], "long": item["Long"],},
diff --git a/app/utils/countries.py b/app/utils/countries.py
index 9fb4f98a..f171609b 100644
--- a/app/utils/countries.py
+++ b/app/utils/countries.py
@@ -366,15 +366,20 @@
     # "MS Zaandam"
 }
 
-# fmt: on
-def country_code(value):
-    """
-    Return two letter country code (Alpha-2) according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1
-    Defaults to "XX".
-    """
-    code = COUNTRY_NAME__COUNTRY_CODE.get(value, DEFAULT_COUNTRY_CODE)
-    if code == DEFAULT_COUNTRY_CODE:
-        # log at sub DEBUG level
-        LOGGER.log(5, f"No country code found for '{value}'. Using '{code}'!")
+class Country: 
 
-    return code
+    def __init__(self, name):
+        self.name = name
+
+    # fmt: on
+    def country_code(value):
+        """
+        Return two letter country code (Alpha-2) according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_3166-1
+        Defaults to "XX".
+        """
+        code = COUNTRY_NAME__COUNTRY_CODE.get(value, DEFAULT_COUNTRY_CODE)
+        if code == DEFAULT_COUNTRY_CODE:
+            # log at sub DEBUG level
+            LOGGER.log(5, f"No country code found for '{value}'. Using '{code}'!")
+
+        return code