Escape From Zaqistan

iHeartPodcasts
  • 4.5 (21)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • WEEKLY SERIES

Deep in the American desert is a tiny, tiny, tiny nation: The Republic of Zaqistan. Guarded by medium-sized robots, Zaqistan welcomed new citizens for more than 15 years - until it fell into ruins. Now the eponymous founder wants to rebuild. Join hosts Ryan Murdock, Gabbie Watts and Zaron Burnett on a journey to uncharted territory … to the nation of Zaqistan…and the upside-down world of micronations. Along the way, they meet some crazy characters - the President of Molossia, the Sultan of Slowjamastan, the Princess of Sancrotosia to name a few. Follow Murdock as he risks life and limb in the name of nation-building, and find out the answer to the question: what exactly is a nation, anyway?

  1. Diplomacy

    EPISODE 1

    Diplomacy

    Hosts Ryan Murdock and Gabbie Watts head to Microcon, a convention of micronationalists. Think Model UN meets ComicCon.  We’ll engage in light diplomacy, explore invented histories and exchange gratuitous amounts of medals. Plus, there’s a taco bar! Among the characters you’ll meet are Zaq from Zaqistan, the President of Molossia, the Sultan of Slowjamastan, the Princess of Sancrotosia and a bunch of dictator-curious statesmen, all asking the question: if you could start a country from scratch, what would it look like? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    43 min
  2. Becoming Zaqistani

    EPISODE 2

    Becoming Zaqistani

    Ryan meets the team of misfits that will accompany him on the journey to rebuild Zaqistan. He gets schooled in Zaqistani history and applies for citizenship, as part of his ultimate quest to Become Zaqistani. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    42 min
  3. Plant Your Flag

    EPISODE 3

    Plant Your Flag

    Ryan heads off into the desert, finally! Along the way, he revisits the history of sketchy ebay land deals, the Bush era policy of not-nation-building, and the moment Zaq’s land became a country.  The team encounters Ivo Zdarsky, an eccentric desert dweller who builds his own aircraft.  And it turns out the road to Zaqistan is not paved with…anything. Nor is it much of a road at all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    46 min
  4. Borderlands

    EPISODE 4

    Borderlands

    How many borders do you have to cross to get to Zaqistan? Ryan talks with Mike and his dad, Yosef, about their complicated Palestianian/Lebanese/American identity. And we find out how Mike and Zaq - who is half Jewish - have navigated running a country together as the war in the Middle East rages on. And south of Zaqistan’s border, an Iranian American plants their own flag. Plus, Ivo Zdarsky flies over the border of the Iron Curtain in the cover of night on a homemade aircraft. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    46 min
  5. Infrastructure Week(end)

    EPISODE 5

    Infrastructure Week(end)

    It’s Infrastructure Week(end) in Zaqistan, and there’s a lot to do: rebuild robots, install a satellite-linked weather station, pour concrete robot footings and prepare the official state dinner. But, like all infrastructure projects - in Zaqistan as in America - harsh realities make it hard to actually get the job done. Several emergencies later, the future of Zaqistan remains unclear. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    44 min
  6. The State of Uncertainty

    EPISODE 6

    The State of Uncertainty

    Will Ryan (and Zaq and the gang) finally escape from Zaqistan? Will the Zaqistanis finally get along? What’s the future of this nation anyway? What’s the future of that nation over there? And have you checked the weather in Zaqistan lately? Looks like another big storm is on the way. Meet me at the taco bar and find out what happens in the series finale. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    43 min
See All Season 1 (6)

Trailer

4.5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Deep in the American desert is a tiny, tiny, tiny nation: The Republic of Zaqistan. Guarded by medium-sized robots, Zaqistan welcomed new citizens for more than 15 years - until it fell into ruins. Now the eponymous founder wants to rebuild. Join hosts Ryan Murdock, Gabbie Watts and Zaron Burnett on a journey to uncharted territory … to the nation of Zaqistan…and the upside-down world of micronations. Along the way, they meet some crazy characters - the President of Molossia, the Sultan of Slowjamastan, the Princess of Sancrotosia to name a few. Follow Murdock as he risks life and limb in the name of nation-building, and find out the answer to the question: what exactly is a nation, anyway?

Information

  • Channel
    iHeartPodcasts
  • Creator
    iHeartPodcasts
  • Episodes
    7
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    2026 iHeartMedia, Inc. © Any use of this intellectual property for text and data mining or computational analysis including as training material for artificial intelligence systems is strictly prohibited without express written consent from iHeartMedia
  • Show Website
    Escape From Zaqistan
  • Provider
    iHeartMedia + Entertainment, Inc

More From iHeartPodcasts