country不是集体名词。必须用单数。用复数为错误。

虽然词典对the coountry的解释之一为people who live in this caountry. 但毕竟不是集体名词。The whole country作主语，意义上可以指整个国家的人，但在语法上却是单数形式，谓语必须用单数。例如：

 The whole country was stunned and the collective grief is a testimony to his popularity.

...and later the whole country was heartened by their exploits.

 It seemed that the whole country was willing him on.

 The whole country was outraged.