diff --git a/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_learner_profile.py b/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_learner_profile.py
index f02b1720c3..75a7c8e532 100644
--- a/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_learner_profile.py
+++ b/common/test/acceptance/tests/lms/test_learner_profile.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class LearnerProfileTestMixin(EventsTestMixin):
         Fill in the public profile fields of a user.
         """
         profile_page.value_for_dropdown_field('language_proficiencies', 'English')
-        profile_page.value_for_dropdown_field('country', 'United Kingdom')
+        profile_page.value_for_dropdown_field('country', 'United Arab Emirates')
         profile_page.value_for_textarea_field('bio', 'Nothing Special')
 
     def visit_profile_page(self, username, privacy=None):
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/student_account/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/student_account/views.py
index 1838ff2e88..faf1c0a84b 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/student_account/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/student_account/views.py
@@ -338,13 +338,6 @@ def account_settings_context(request):
     """
     user = request.user
 
-    country_options = [
-        (country_code, _(country_name))  # pylint: disable=translation-of-non-string
-        for country_code, country_name in sorted(
-            countries.countries, key=lambda(__, name): unicode(name)
-        )
-    ]
-
     year_of_birth_options = [(unicode(year), unicode(year)) for year in UserProfile.VALID_YEARS]
 
     context = {
@@ -352,7 +345,7 @@ def account_settings_context(request):
         'duplicate_provider': None,
         'fields': {
             'country': {
-                'options': country_options,
+                'options': list(countries),
             }, 'gender': {
                 'options': [(choice[0], _(choice[1])) for choice in UserProfile.GENDER_CHOICES],  # pylint: disable=translation-of-non-string
             }, 'language': {
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/student_profile/test/test_views.py b/lms/djangoapps/student_profile/test/test_views.py
index aa78183108..7ce8174ee9 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/student_profile/test/test_views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/student_profile/test/test_views.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.test import TestCase
+from django.test.client import RequestFactory
 
 from util.testing import UrlResetMixin
 from student.tests.factories import UserFactory
@@ -25,6 +26,8 @@ class LearnerProfileViewTest(UrlResetMixin, TestCase):
         'own_profile',
         'country_options',
         'language_options',
+        'account_settings_data',
+        'preferences_data',
     ]
 
     def setUp(self):
@@ -36,7 +39,9 @@ class LearnerProfileViewTest(UrlResetMixin, TestCase):
         """
         Verify learner profile page context data.
         """
-        context = learner_profile_context(self.user.username, self.USERNAME, self.user.is_staff)
+        request = RequestFactory().get('/url')
+
+        context = learner_profile_context(self.user, self.USERNAME, self.user.is_staff, request.build_absolute_uri)
 
         self.assertEqual(
             context['data']['default_public_account_fields'],
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/student_profile/views.py b/lms/djangoapps/student_profile/views.py
index 1a38b06d25..78354af3a4 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/student_profile/views.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/student_profile/views.py
@@ -6,12 +6,15 @@ from django_countries import countries
 
 from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required
-from django.http import HttpResponse
+from django.http import Http404
 from django.views.decorators.http import require_http_methods
 
 from edxmako.shortcuts import render_to_response
+from openedx.core.djangoapps.user_api.accounts.api import get_account_settings
+from openedx.core.djangoapps.user_api.accounts.serializers import PROFILE_IMAGE_KEY_PREFIX
+from openedx.core.djangoapps.user_api.errors import UserNotFound, UserNotAuthorized
+from openedx.core.djangoapps.user_api.preferences.api import get_user_preferences
 from student.models import User
-
 from microsite_configuration import microsite
 
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
@@ -29,8 +32,9 @@ def learner_profile(request, username):
     Returns:
         HttpResponse: 200 if the page was sent successfully
         HttpResponse: 302 if not logged in (redirect to login page)
-        HttpResponse: 404 if the specified username does not exist
         HttpResponse: 405 if using an unsupported HTTP method
+    Raises:
+        Http404: 404 if the specified user is not authorized or does not exist
 
     Example usage:
         GET /account/profile
@@ -38,19 +42,20 @@ def learner_profile(request, username):
     try:
         return render_to_response(
             'student_profile/learner_profile.html',
-            learner_profile_context(request.user.username, username, request.user.is_staff)
+            learner_profile_context(request.user, username, request.user.is_staff, request.build_absolute_uri)
         )
-    except ObjectDoesNotExist:
-        return HttpResponse(status=404)
+    except (UserNotAuthorized, UserNotFound, ObjectDoesNotExist):
+        raise Http404
 
 
-def learner_profile_context(logged_in_username, profile_username, user_is_staff):
+def learner_profile_context(logged_in_user, profile_username, user_is_staff, build_absolute_uri_func):
     """Context for the learner profile page.
 
     Args:
-        logged_in_username (str): Username of user logged In user.
+        logged_in_user (object): Logged In user.
         profile_username (str): username of user whose profile is requested.
         user_is_staff (bool): Logged In user has staff access.
+        build_absolute_uri_func ():
 
     Returns:
         dict
@@ -60,12 +65,15 @@ def learner_profile_context(logged_in_username, profile_username, user_is_staff)
     """
     profile_user = User.objects.get(username=profile_username)
 
-    country_options = [
-        (country_code, _(country_name))  # pylint: disable=translation-of-non-string
-        for country_code, country_name in sorted(
-            countries.countries, key=lambda(__, name): unicode(name)
-        )
-    ]
+    own_profile = (logged_in_user.username == profile_username)
+
+    account_settings_data = get_account_settings(logged_in_user, profile_username)
+    # Account for possibly relative URLs.
+    for key, value in account_settings_data['profile_image'].items():
+        if key.startswith(PROFILE_IMAGE_KEY_PREFIX):
+            account_settings_data['profile_image'][key] = build_absolute_uri_func(value)
+
+    preferences_data = get_user_preferences(profile_user, profile_username)
 
     context = {
         'data': {
@@ -74,17 +82,18 @@ def learner_profile_context(logged_in_username, profile_username, user_is_staff)
             'default_visibility': settings.ACCOUNT_VISIBILITY_CONFIGURATION['default_visibility'],
             'accounts_api_url': reverse("accounts_api", kwargs={'username': profile_username}),
             'preferences_api_url': reverse('preferences_api', kwargs={'username': profile_username}),
+            'preferences_data': preferences_data,
+            'account_settings_data': account_settings_data,
             'profile_image_upload_url': reverse('profile_image_upload', kwargs={'username': profile_username}),
             'profile_image_remove_url': reverse('profile_image_remove', kwargs={'username': profile_username}),
             'profile_image_max_bytes': settings.PROFILE_IMAGE_MAX_BYTES,
             'profile_image_min_bytes': settings.PROFILE_IMAGE_MIN_BYTES,
             'account_settings_page_url': reverse('account_settings'),
-            'has_preferences_access': (logged_in_username == profile_username or user_is_staff),
-            'own_profile': (logged_in_username == profile_username),
-            'country_options': country_options,
+            'has_preferences_access': (logged_in_user.username == profile_username or user_is_staff),
+            'own_profile': own_profile,
+            'country_options': list(countries),
             'language_options': settings.ALL_LANGUAGES,
             'platform_name': microsite.get_value('platform_name', settings.PLATFORM_NAME),
         }
     }
-
     return context
diff --git a/lms/static/js/spec/student_profile/learner_profile_factory_spec.js b/lms/static/js/spec/student_profile/learner_profile_factory_spec.js
index 3aa2cc2458..fb88a0d355 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/spec/student_profile/learner_profile_factory_spec.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/spec/student_profile/learner_profile_factory_spec.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ define(['backbone', 'jquery', 'underscore', 'js/common_helpers/ajax_helpers', 'j
                 TemplateHelpers.installTemplate('templates/student_profile/learner_profile');
             });
 
-            var createProfilePage = function(ownProfile) {
+            var createProfilePage = function(ownProfile, options) {
                 return new LearnerProfilePage({
                     'accounts_api_url': Helpers.USER_ACCOUNTS_API_URL,
                     'preferences_api_url': Helpers.USER_PREFERENCES_API_URL,
@@ -41,55 +41,13 @@ define(['backbone', 'jquery', 'underscore', 'js/common_helpers/ajax_helpers', 'j
                     'profile_image_upload_url': Helpers.IMAGE_UPLOAD_API_URL,
                     'profile_image_remove_url': Helpers.IMAGE_REMOVE_API_URL,
                     'default_visibility': 'all_users',
-                    'platform_name': 'edX'
+                    'platform_name': 'edX',
+                    'account_settings_data': Helpers.createAccountSettingsData(options),
+                    'preferences_data': Helpers.createUserPreferencesData()
                 });
             };
 
-            it("show loading error when UserAccountModel fails to load", function() {
-
-                requests = AjaxHelpers.requests(this);
-
-                var context = createProfilePage(true),
-                    learnerProfileView = context.learnerProfileView;
-
-                var userAccountRequest = requests[0];
-                expect(userAccountRequest.method).toBe('GET');
-                expect(userAccountRequest.url).toBe(Helpers.USER_ACCOUNTS_API_URL);
-
-                AjaxHelpers.respondWithError(requests, 500);
-
-                Helpers.expectLoadingErrorIsVisible(learnerProfileView, true);
-                Helpers.expectLoadingIndicatorIsVisible(learnerProfileView, false);
-                LearnerProfileHelpers.expectProfileSectionsNotToBeRendered(learnerProfileView);
-            });
-
-            it("shows loading error when UserPreferencesModel fails to load", function() {
-
-                requests = AjaxHelpers.requests(this);
-
-                var context = createProfilePage(true),
-                    learnerProfileView = context.learnerProfileView;
-
-                var userAccountRequest = requests[0];
-                expect(userAccountRequest.method).toBe('GET');
-                expect(userAccountRequest.url).toBe(Helpers.USER_ACCOUNTS_API_URL);
-
-                AjaxHelpers.respondWithJson(requests, Helpers.createAccountSettingsData());
-                Helpers.expectLoadingIndicatorIsVisible(learnerProfileView, true);
-                Helpers.expectLoadingErrorIsVisible(learnerProfileView, false);
-                LearnerProfileHelpers.expectProfileSectionsNotToBeRendered(learnerProfileView);
-
-                var userPreferencesRequest = requests[1];
-                expect(userPreferencesRequest.method).toBe('GET');
-                expect(userPreferencesRequest.url).toBe(Helpers.USER_PREFERENCES_API_URL);
-
-                AjaxHelpers.respondWithError(requests, 500);
-                Helpers.expectLoadingIndicatorIsVisible(learnerProfileView, false);
-                Helpers.expectLoadingErrorIsVisible(learnerProfileView, true);
-                LearnerProfileHelpers.expectProfileSectionsNotToBeRendered(learnerProfileView);
-            });
-
-            it("renders the full profile after models are successfully fetched", function() {
+            it("renders the full profile after data is successfully fetched", function() {
 
                 requests = AjaxHelpers.requests(this);
 
@@ -106,33 +64,19 @@ define(['backbone', 'jquery', 'underscore', 'js/common_helpers/ajax_helpers', 'j
 
             it("renders the limited profile for undefined 'year_of_birth'", function() {
 
-                requests = AjaxHelpers.requests(this);
-
-                var context = createProfilePage(true),
+                var context = createProfilePage(true, {year_of_birth: '', requires_parental_consent: true}),
                     learnerProfileView = context.learnerProfileView;
 
-                AjaxHelpers.respondWithJson(requests, Helpers.createAccountSettingsData({
-                    year_of_birth: '',
-                    requires_parental_consent: true
-                }));
-                AjaxHelpers.respondWithJson(requests, Helpers.createUserPreferencesData());
-
                 LearnerProfileHelpers.expectLimitedProfileSectionsAndFieldsToBeRendered(learnerProfileView);
             });
 
             it("renders the limited profile for under 13 users", function() {
 
-                requests = AjaxHelpers.requests(this);
-
-                var context = createProfilePage(true),
-                    learnerProfileView = context.learnerProfileView;
-
-                AjaxHelpers.respondWithJson(requests, Helpers.createAccountSettingsData({
-                    year_of_birth: new Date().getFullYear() - 10,
-                    requires_parental_consent: true
-                }));
-                AjaxHelpers.respondWithJson(requests, Helpers.createUserPreferencesData());
-
+                var context = createProfilePage(
+                    true,
+                    {year_of_birth: new Date().getFullYear() - 10, requires_parental_consent: true}
+                );
+                var learnerProfileView = context.learnerProfileView;
                 LearnerProfileHelpers.expectLimitedProfileSectionsAndFieldsToBeRendered(learnerProfileView);
             });
         });
diff --git a/lms/static/js/student_account/models/user_account_model.js b/lms/static/js/student_account/models/user_account_model.js
index e847d0ba88..d2e1791460 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/student_account/models/user_account_model.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/student_account/models/user_account_model.js
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@
                 // Currently when a non-staff user A access user B's profile, the only way to tell whether user B's
                 // profile is public is to check if the api has returned fields other than the default public fields
                 // specified in settings.ACCOUNT_VISIBILITY_CONFIGURATION.
-                var profileIsPublic = _.size(_.difference(_.keys(response), this.get('default_public_account_fields'))) > 0;
-                this.set({'profile_is_public': profileIsPublic}, { silent: true });
+                var responseKeys = _.filter(_.keys(response), function (key) {return key !== 'default_public_account_fields'});
+                response.profile_is_public = _.size(_.difference(responseKeys, response.default_public_account_fields)) > 0;
 
   	            return response;
             },
diff --git a/lms/static/js/student_profile/views/learner_profile_factory.js b/lms/static/js/student_profile/views/learner_profile_factory.js
index a66dc3f45e..033472f09e 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/student_profile/views/learner_profile_factory.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/student_profile/views/learner_profile_factory.js
@@ -15,19 +15,23 @@
         return function (options) {
 
             var learnerProfileElement = $('.wrapper-profile');
-            var defaultVisibility = options.default_visibility;
+
+            var accountSettingsModel = new AccountSettingsModel(
+                _.extend(
+                    options.account_settings_data,
+                    {'default_public_account_fields': options.default_public_account_fields}
+                ),
+                {parse: true}
+            );
             var AccountPreferencesModelWithDefaults = AccountPreferencesModel.extend({
                 defaults: {
-                    account_privacy: defaultVisibility
+                    account_privacy: options.default_visibility
                 }
             });
-            var accountPreferencesModel = new AccountPreferencesModelWithDefaults();
-            accountPreferencesModel.url = options.preferences_api_url;
+            var accountPreferencesModel = new AccountPreferencesModelWithDefaults(options.preferences_data);
 
-            var accountSettingsModel = new AccountSettingsModel({
-                'default_public_account_fields': options.default_public_account_fields
-            });
             accountSettingsModel.url = options.accounts_api_url;
+            accountPreferencesModel.url = options.preferences_api_url;
 
             var editable = options.own_profile ? 'toggle' : 'never';
 
@@ -122,10 +126,6 @@
                 sectionTwoFieldViews: sectionTwoFieldViews
             });
 
-            var showLoadingError = function () {
-                learnerProfileView.showLoadingError();
-            };
-
             var getProfileVisibility = function() {
                 if (options.has_preferences_access) {
                     return accountPreferencesModel.get('account_privacy');
@@ -146,26 +146,12 @@
                 learnerProfileView.render();
             };
 
-            accountSettingsModel.fetch({
-                success: function () {
-                    // Fetch the preferences model if the user has access
-                    if (options.has_preferences_access) {
-                        accountPreferencesModel.fetch({
-                            success: function() {
-                                if (accountSettingsModel.get('requires_parental_consent')) {
-                                    accountPreferencesModel.set('account_privacy', 'private');
-                                }
-                                showLearnerProfileView();
-                            },
-                            error: showLoadingError
-                        });
-                    }
-                    else {
-                        showLearnerProfileView();
-                    }
-                },
-                error: showLoadingError
-            });
+            if (options.has_preferences_access) {
+                if (accountSettingsModel.get('requires_parental_consent')) {
+                    accountPreferencesModel.set('account_privacy', 'private');
+                }
+            }
+            showLearnerProfileView();
 
             return {
                 accountSettingsModel: accountSettingsModel,
diff --git a/lms/static/js/views/fields.js b/lms/static/js/views/fields.js
index c0424b4ada..c6aa7639c8 100644
--- a/lms/static/js/views/fields.js
+++ b/lms/static/js/views/fields.js
@@ -114,7 +114,11 @@
 
                 setTimeout(function () {
                     if ((context === view.lastSuccessMessageContext) && (view.getNotificationMessage() === successMessage)) {
-                        view.showHelpMessage();
+                        if (view.editable === 'toggle') {
+                            view.showCanEditMessage(true);
+                        } else {
+                            view.showHelpMessage();
+                        }
                     }
                 }, messageRevertDelay);
             },
diff --git a/lms/static/sass/views/_learner-profile.scss b/lms/static/sass/views/_learner-profile.scss
index b929151c98..7c56d30d08 100644
--- a/lms/static/sass/views/_learner-profile.scss
+++ b/lms/static/sass/views/_learner-profile.scss
@@ -218,7 +218,6 @@
 
     .wrapper-profile-section-two {
         width: flex-grid(8, 12);
-        margin-top: ($baseline*1.5);
     }
 
     .profile-section-two-fields {
diff --git a/lms/templates/register.html b/lms/templates/register.html
index 51f954f46b..d9d0d7e91d 100644
--- a/lms/templates/register.html
+++ b/lms/templates/register.html
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@
               <label for="country">${_("Country")}</label>
               <select id="country" name="country" ${'required aria-required="true"' if settings.REGISTRATION_EXTRA_FIELDS['country'] == 'required' else ''}>
                 <option value="">--</option>
-                %for code, country_name in sorted(countries.countries, key=lambda (__, name): unicode(name)):
+                %for code, country_name in countries:
                 <option value="${code}">${ unicode(country_name) }</option>
                 %endfor
               </select>
diff --git a/lms/templates/student_profile/learner_profile.html b/lms/templates/student_profile/learner_profile.html
index d1159103c6..3d895ed744 100644
--- a/lms/templates/student_profile/learner_profile.html
+++ b/lms/templates/student_profile/learner_profile.html
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 <%! import json %>
 <%! from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse %>
 <%! from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _ %>
+<%! from xmodule.modulestore import EdxJSONEncoder %>
 
 <%inherit file="/main.html" />
 <%namespace name='static' file='/static_content.html'/>
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@
     <script>
           (function (require) {
             require(['js/student_profile/views/learner_profile_factory'], function(setupLearnerProfile) {
-                var options = ${ json.dumps(data) };
+                var options = ${ json.dumps(data, cls=EdxJSONEncoder) };
                 setupLearnerProfile(options);
             });
           }).call(this, require || RequireJS.require);
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/tests/test_constants.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/tests/test_constants.py
index 7508965559..885cc79130 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/tests/test_constants.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/tests/test_constants.py
@@ -1,253 +1,253 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """Constants used in the test suite. """
-
 SORTED_COUNTRIES = [
-    (u'AF', u'Afghanistan'),
-    (u'AL', u'Albania'),
-    (u'DZ', u'Algeria'),
-    (u'AS', u'American Samoa'),
-    (u'AD', u'Andorra'),
-    (u'AO', u'Angola'),
-    (u'AI', u'Anguilla'),
-    (u'AQ', u'Antarctica'),
-    (u'AG', u'Antigua and Barbuda'),
-    (u'AR', u'Argentina'),
-    (u'AM', u'Armenia'),
-    (u'AW', u'Aruba'),
-    (u'AU', u'Australia'),
-    (u'AT', u'Austria'),
-    (u'AZ', u'Azerbaijan'),
-    (u'BS', u'Bahamas'),
-    (u'BH', u'Bahrain'),
-    (u'BD', u'Bangladesh'),
-    (u'BB', u'Barbados'),
-    (u'BY', u'Belarus'),
-    (u'BE', u'Belgium'),
-    (u'BZ', u'Belize'),
-    (u'BJ', u'Benin'),
-    (u'BM', u'Bermuda'),
-    (u'BT', u'Bhutan'),
-    (u'BO', u'Bolivia, Plurinational State of'),
-    (u'BQ', u'Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba'),
-    (u'BA', u'Bosnia and Herzegovina'),
-    (u'BW', u'Botswana'),
-    (u'BV', u'Bouvet Island'),
-    (u'BR', u'Brazil'),
-    (u'IO', u'British Indian Ocean Territory'),
-    (u'BN', u'Brunei Darussalam'),
-    (u'BG', u'Bulgaria'),
-    (u'BF', u'Burkina Faso'),
-    (u'BI', u'Burundi'),
-    (u'KH', u'Cambodia'),
-    (u'CM', u'Cameroon'),
-    (u'CA', u'Canada'),
-    (u'CV', u'Cape Verde'),
-    (u'KY', u'Cayman Islands'),
-    (u'CF', u'Central African Republic'),
-    (u'TD', u'Chad'),
-    (u'CL', u'Chile'),
-    (u'CN', u'China'),
-    (u'CX', u'Christmas Island'),
-    (u'CC', u'Cocos (Keeling) Islands'),
-    (u'CO', u'Colombia'),
-    (u'KM', u'Comoros'),
-    (u'CG', u'Congo'),
-    (u'CD', u'Congo (the Democratic Republic of the)'),
-    (u'CK', u'Cook Islands'),
-    (u'CR', u'Costa Rica'),
-    (u'HR', u'Croatia'),
-    (u'CU', u'Cuba'),
-    (u'CW', u'Cura\xe7ao'),
-    (u'CY', u'Cyprus'),
-    (u'CZ', u'Czech Republic'),
-    (u'CI', u"C\xf4te d'Ivoire"),
-    (u'DK', u'Denmark'),
-    (u'DJ', u'Djibouti'),
-    (u'DM', u'Dominica'),
-    (u'DO', u'Dominican Republic'),
-    (u'EC', u'Ecuador'),
-    (u'EG', u'Egypt'),
-    (u'SV', u'El Salvador'),
-    (u'GQ', u'Equatorial Guinea'),
-    (u'ER', u'Eritrea'),
-    (u'EE', u'Estonia'),
-    (u'ET', u'Ethiopia'),
-    (u'FK', u'Falkland Islands  [Malvinas]'),
-    (u'FO', u'Faroe Islands'),
-    (u'FJ', u'Fiji'),
-    (u'FI', u'Finland'),
-    (u'FR', u'France'),
-    (u'GF', u'French Guiana'),
-    (u'PF', u'French Polynesia'),
-    (u'TF', u'French Southern Territories'),
-    (u'GA', u'Gabon'),
-    (u'GM', u'Gambia (The)'),
-    (u'GE', u'Georgia'),
-    (u'DE', u'Germany'),
-    (u'GH', u'Ghana'),
-    (u'GI', u'Gibraltar'),
-    (u'GR', u'Greece'),
-    (u'GL', u'Greenland'),
-    (u'GD', u'Grenada'),
-    (u'GP', u'Guadeloupe'),
-    (u'GU', u'Guam'),
-    (u'GT', u'Guatemala'),
-    (u'GG', u'Guernsey'),
-    (u'GN', u'Guinea'),
-    (u'GW', u'Guinea-Bissau'),
-    (u'GY', u'Guyana'),
-    (u'HT', u'Haiti'),
-    (u'HM', u'Heard Island and McDonald Islands'),
-    (u'VA', u'Holy See  [Vatican City State]'),
-    (u'HN', u'Honduras'),
-    (u'HK', u'Hong Kong'),
-    (u'HU', u'Hungary'),
-    (u'IS', u'Iceland'),
-    (u'IN', u'India'),
-    (u'ID', u'Indonesia'),
-    (u'IR', u'Iran (the Islamic Republic of)'),
-    (u'IQ', u'Iraq'),
-    (u'IE', u'Ireland'),
-    (u'IM', u'Isle of Man'),
-    (u'IL', u'Israel'),
-    (u'IT', u'Italy'),
-    (u'JM', u'Jamaica'),
-    (u'JP', u'Japan'),
-    (u'JE', u'Jersey'),
-    (u'JO', u'Jordan'),
-    (u'KZ', u'Kazakhstan'),
-    (u'KE', u'Kenya'),
-    (u'KI', u'Kiribati'),
-    (u'KP', u"Korea (the Democratic People's Republic of)"),
-    (u'KR', u'Korea (the Republic of)'),
-    (u'KW', u'Kuwait'),
-    (u'KG', u'Kyrgyzstan'),
-    (u'LA', u"Lao People's Democratic Republic"),
-    (u'LV', u'Latvia'),
-    (u'LB', u'Lebanon'),
-    (u'LS', u'Lesotho'),
-    (u'LR', u'Liberia'),
-    (u'LY', u'Libya'),
-    (u'LI', u'Liechtenstein'),
-    (u'LT', u'Lithuania'),
-    (u'LU', u'Luxembourg'),
-    (u'MO', u'Macao'),
-    (u'MK', u'Macedonia (the former Yugoslav Republic of)'),
-    (u'MG', u'Madagascar'),
-    (u'MW', u'Malawi'),
-    (u'MY', u'Malaysia'),
-    (u'MV', u'Maldives'),
-    (u'ML', u'Mali'),
-    (u'MT', u'Malta'),
-    (u'MH', u'Marshall Islands'),
-    (u'MQ', u'Martinique'),
-    (u'MR', u'Mauritania'),
-    (u'MU', u'Mauritius'),
-    (u'YT', u'Mayotte'),
-    (u'MX', u'Mexico'),
-    (u'FM', u'Micronesia (the Federated States of)'),
-    (u'MD', u'Moldova (the Republic of)'),
-    (u'MC', u'Monaco'),
-    (u'MN', u'Mongolia'),
-    (u'ME', u'Montenegro'),
-    (u'MS', u'Montserrat'),
-    (u'MA', u'Morocco'),
-    (u'MZ', u'Mozambique'),
-    (u'MM', u'Myanmar'),
-    (u'NA', u'Namibia'),
-    (u'NR', u'Nauru'),
-    (u'NP', u'Nepal'),
-    (u'NL', u'Netherlands'),
-    (u'NC', u'New Caledonia'),
-    (u'NZ', u'New Zealand'),
-    (u'NI', u'Nicaragua'),
-    (u'NE', u'Niger'),
-    (u'NG', u'Nigeria'),
-    (u'NU', u'Niue'),
-    (u'NF', u'Norfolk Island'),
-    (u'MP', u'Northern Mariana Islands'),
-    (u'NO', u'Norway'),
-    (u'OM', u'Oman'),
-    (u'PK', u'Pakistan'),
-    (u'PW', u'Palau'),
-    (u'PS', u'Palestine, State of'),
-    (u'PA', u'Panama'),
-    (u'PG', u'Papua New Guinea'),
-    (u'PY', u'Paraguay'),
-    (u'PE', u'Peru'),
-    (u'PH', u'Philippines'),
-    (u'PN', u'Pitcairn'),
-    (u'PL', u'Poland'),
-    (u'PT', u'Portugal'),
-    (u'PR', u'Puerto Rico'),
-    (u'QA', u'Qatar'),
-    (u'RO', u'Romania'),
-    (u'RU', u'Russian Federation'),
-    (u'RW', u'Rwanda'),
-    (u'RE', u'R\xe9union'),
-    (u'BL', u'Saint Barth\xe9lemy'),
-    (u'SH', u'Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha'),
-    (u'KN', u'Saint Kitts and Nevis'),
-    (u'LC', u'Saint Lucia'),
-    (u'MF', u'Saint Martin (French part)'),
-    (u'PM', u'Saint Pierre and Miquelon'),
-    (u'VC', u'Saint Vincent and the Grenadines'),
-    (u'WS', u'Samoa'),
-    (u'SM', u'San Marino'),
-    (u'ST', u'Sao Tome and Principe'),
-    (u'SA', u'Saudi Arabia'),
-    (u'SN', u'Senegal'),
-    (u'RS', u'Serbia'),
-    (u'SC', u'Seychelles'),
-    (u'SL', u'Sierra Leone'),
-    (u'SG', u'Singapore'),
-    (u'SX', u'Sint Maarten (Dutch part)'),
-    (u'SK', u'Slovakia'),
-    (u'SI', u'Slovenia'),
-    (u'SB', u'Solomon Islands'),
-    (u'SO', u'Somalia'),
-    (u'ZA', u'South Africa'),
-    (u'GS', u'South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands'),
-    (u'SS', u'South Sudan'),
-    (u'ES', u'Spain'),
-    (u'LK', u'Sri Lanka'),
-    (u'SD', u'Sudan'),
-    (u'SR', u'Suriname'),
-    (u'SJ', u'Svalbard and Jan Mayen'),
-    (u'SZ', u'Swaziland'),
-    (u'SE', u'Sweden'),
-    (u'CH', u'Switzerland'),
-    (u'SY', u'Syrian Arab Republic'),
-    (u'TW', u'Taiwan'),
-    (u'TJ', u'Tajikistan'),
-    (u'TZ', u'Tanzania, United Republic of'),
-    (u'TH', u'Thailand'),
-    (u'TL', u'Timor-Leste'),
-    (u'TG', u'Togo'),
-    (u'TK', u'Tokelau'),
-    (u'TO', u'Tonga'),
-    (u'TT', u'Trinidad and Tobago'),
-    (u'TN', u'Tunisia'),
-    (u'TR', u'Turkey'),
-    (u'TM', u'Turkmenistan'),
-    (u'TC', u'Turks and Caicos Islands'),
-    (u'TV', u'Tuvalu'),
-    (u'UG', u'Uganda'),
-    (u'UA', u'Ukraine'),
-    (u'AE', u'United Arab Emirates'),
-    (u'GB', u'United Kingdom'),
-    (u'US', u'United States'),
-    (u'UM', u'United States Minor Outlying Islands'),
-    (u'UY', u'Uruguay'),
-    (u'UZ', u'Uzbekistan'),
-    (u'VU', u'Vanuatu'),
-    (u'VE', u'Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of'),
-    (u'VN', u'Viet Nam'),
-    (u'VG', u'Virgin Islands (British)'),
-    (u'VI', u'Virgin Islands (U.S.)'),
-    (u'WF', u'Wallis and Futuna'),
-    (u'EH', u'Western Sahara'),
-    (u'YE', u'Yemen'),
-    (u'ZM', u'Zambia'),
-    (u'ZW', u'Zimbabwe'),
-    (u'AX', u'\xc5land Islands')
+    (u"AF", u"Afghanistan"),
+    (u"AX", u"Åland Islands"),
+    (u"AL", u"Albania"),
+    (u"DZ", u"Algeria"),
+    (u"AS", u"American Samoa"),
+    (u"AD", u"Andorra"),
+    (u"AO", u"Angola"),
+    (u"AI", u"Anguilla"),
+    (u"AQ", u"Antarctica"),
+    (u"AG", u"Antigua and Barbuda"),
+    (u"AR", u"Argentina"),
+    (u"AM", u"Armenia"),
+    (u"AW", u"Aruba"),
+    (u"AU", u"Australia"),
+    (u"AT", u"Austria"),
+    (u"AZ", u"Azerbaijan"),
+    (u"BS", u"Bahamas"),
+    (u"BH", u"Bahrain"),
+    (u"BD", u"Bangladesh"),
+    (u"BB", u"Barbados"),
+    (u"BY", u"Belarus"),
+    (u"BE", u"Belgium"),
+    (u"BZ", u"Belize"),
+    (u"BJ", u"Benin"),
+    (u"BM", u"Bermuda"),
+    (u"BT", u"Bhutan"),
+    (u"BO", u"Bolivia"),
+    (u"BQ", u"Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba"),
+    (u"BA", u"Bosnia and Herzegovina"),
+    (u"BW", u"Botswana"),
+    (u"BV", u"Bouvet Island"),
+    (u"BR", u"Brazil"),
+    (u"IO", u"British Indian Ocean Territory"),
+    (u"BN", u"Brunei"),
+    (u"BG", u"Bulgaria"),
+    (u"BF", u"Burkina Faso"),
+    (u"BI", u"Burundi"),
+    (u"CV", u"Cabo Verde"),
+    (u"KH", u"Cambodia"),
+    (u"CM", u"Cameroon"),
+    (u"CA", u"Canada"),
+    (u"KY", u"Cayman Islands"),
+    (u"CF", u"Central African Republic"),
+    (u"TD", u"Chad"),
+    (u"CL", u"Chile"),
+    (u"CN", u"China"),
+    (u"CX", u"Christmas Island"),
+    (u"CC", u"Cocos (Keeling) Islands"),
+    (u"CO", u"Colombia"),
+    (u"KM", u"Comoros"),
+    (u"CG", u"Congo"),
+    (u"CD", u"Congo (the Democratic Republic of the)"),
+    (u"CK", u"Cook Islands"),
+    (u"CR", u"Costa Rica"),
+    (u"CI", u"Côte d'Ivoire"),
+    (u"HR", u"Croatia"),
+    (u"CU", u"Cuba"),
+    (u"CW", u"Curaçao"),
+    (u"CY", u"Cyprus"),
+    (u"CZ", u"Czech Republic"),
+    (u"DK", u"Denmark"),
+    (u"DJ", u"Djibouti"),
+    (u"DM", u"Dominica"),
+    (u"DO", u"Dominican Republic"),
+    (u"EC", u"Ecuador"),
+    (u"EG", u"Egypt"),
+    (u"SV", u"El Salvador"),
+    (u"GQ", u"Equatorial Guinea"),
+    (u"ER", u"Eritrea"),
+    (u"EE", u"Estonia"),
+    (u"ET", u"Ethiopia"),
+    (u"FK", u"Falkland Islands  [Malvinas]"),
+    (u"FO", u"Faroe Islands"),
+    (u"FJ", u"Fiji"),
+    (u"FI", u"Finland"),
+    (u"FR", u"France"),
+    (u"GF", u"French Guiana"),
+    (u"PF", u"French Polynesia"),
+    (u"TF", u"French Southern Territories"),
+    (u"GA", u"Gabon"),
+    (u"GM", u"Gambia"),
+    (u"GE", u"Georgia"),
+    (u"DE", u"Germany"),
+    (u"GH", u"Ghana"),
+    (u"GI", u"Gibraltar"),
+    (u"GR", u"Greece"),
+    (u"GL", u"Greenland"),
+    (u"GD", u"Grenada"),
+    (u"GP", u"Guadeloupe"),
+    (u"GU", u"Guam"),
+    (u"GT", u"Guatemala"),
+    (u"GG", u"Guernsey"),
+    (u"GN", u"Guinea"),
+    (u"GW", u"Guinea-Bissau"),
+    (u"GY", u"Guyana"),
+    (u"HT", u"Haiti"),
+    (u"HM", u"Heard Island and McDonald Islands"),
+    (u"VA", u"Holy See"),
+    (u"HN", u"Honduras"),
+    (u"HK", u"Hong Kong"),
+    (u"HU", u"Hungary"),
+    (u"IS", u"Iceland"),
+    (u"IN", u"India"),
+    (u"ID", u"Indonesia"),
+    (u"IR", u"Iran"),
+    (u"IQ", u"Iraq"),
+    (u"IE", u"Ireland"),
+    (u"IM", u"Isle of Man"),
+    (u"IL", u"Israel"),
+    (u"IT", u"Italy"),
+    (u"JM", u"Jamaica"),
+    (u"JP", u"Japan"),
+    (u"JE", u"Jersey"),
+    (u"JO", u"Jordan"),
+    (u"KZ", u"Kazakhstan"),
+    (u"KE", u"Kenya"),
+    (u"KI", u"Kiribati"),
+    (u"KW", u"Kuwait"),
+    (u"KG", u"Kyrgyzstan"),
+    (u"LA", u"Laos"),
+    (u"LV", u"Latvia"),
+    (u"LB", u"Lebanon"),
+    (u"LS", u"Lesotho"),
+    (u"LR", u"Liberia"),
+    (u"LY", u"Libya"),
+    (u"LI", u"Liechtenstein"),
+    (u"LT", u"Lithuania"),
+    (u"LU", u"Luxembourg"),
+    (u"MO", u"Macao"),
+    (u"MK", u"Macedonia"),
+    (u"MG", u"Madagascar"),
+    (u"MW", u"Malawi"),
+    (u"MY", u"Malaysia"),
+    (u"MV", u"Maldives"),
+    (u"ML", u"Mali"),
+    (u"MT", u"Malta"),
+    (u"MH", u"Marshall Islands"),
+    (u"MQ", u"Martinique"),
+    (u"MR", u"Mauritania"),
+    (u"MU", u"Mauritius"),
+    (u"YT", u"Mayotte"),
+    (u"MX", u"Mexico"),
+    (u"FM", u"Micronesia (Federated States of)"),
+    (u"MD", u"Moldovia"),
+    (u"MC", u"Monaco"),
+    (u"MN", u"Mongolia"),
+    (u"ME", u"Montenegro"),
+    (u"MS", u"Montserrat"),
+    (u"MA", u"Morocco"),
+    (u"MZ", u"Mozambique"),
+    (u"MM", u"Myanmar"),
+    (u"NA", u"Namibia"),
+    (u"NR", u"Nauru"),
+    (u"NP", u"Nepal"),
+    (u"NL", u"Netherlands"),
+    (u"NC", u"New Caledonia"),
+    (u"NZ", u"New Zealand"),
+    (u"NI", u"Nicaragua"),
+    (u"NE", u"Niger"),
+    (u"NG", u"Nigeria"),
+    (u"NU", u"Niue"),
+    (u"NF", u"Norfolk Island"),
+    (u"KP", u"North Korea"),
+    (u"MP", u"Northern Mariana Islands"),
+    (u"NO", u"Norway"),
+    (u"OM", u"Oman"),
+    (u"PK", u"Pakistan"),
+    (u"PW", u"Palau"),
+    (u"PS", u"Palestine, State of"),
+    (u"PA", u"Panama"),
+    (u"PG", u"Papua New Guinea"),
+    (u"PY", u"Paraguay"),
+    (u"PE", u"Peru"),
+    (u"PH", u"Philippines"),
+    (u"PN", u"Pitcairn"),
+    (u"PL", u"Poland"),
+    (u"PT", u"Portugal"),
+    (u"PR", u"Puerto Rico"),
+    (u"QA", u"Qatar"),
+    (u"RE", u"Réunion"),
+    (u"RO", u"Romania"),
+    (u"RU", u"Russia"),
+    (u"RW", u"Rwanda"),
+    (u"BL", u"Saint Barthélemy"),
+    (u"SH", u"Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha"),
+    (u"KN", u"Saint Kitts and Nevis"),
+    (u"LC", u"Saint Lucia"),
+    (u"MF", u"Saint Martin (French part)"),
+    (u"PM", u"Saint Pierre and Miquelon"),
+    (u"VC", u"Saint Vincent and the Grenadines"),
+    (u"WS", u"Samoa"),
+    (u"SM", u"San Marino"),
+    (u"ST", u"Sao Tome and Principe"),
+    (u"SA", u"Saudi Arabia"),
+    (u"SN", u"Senegal"),
+    (u"RS", u"Serbia"),
+    (u"SC", u"Seychelles"),
+    (u"SL", u"Sierra Leone"),
+    (u"SG", u"Singapore"),
+    (u"SX", u"Sint Maarten (Dutch part)"),
+    (u"SK", u"Slovakia"),
+    (u"SI", u"Slovenia"),
+    (u"SB", u"Solomon Islands"),
+    (u"SO", u"Somalia"),
+    (u"ZA", u"South Africa"),
+    (u"GS", u"South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands"),
+    (u"KR", u"South Korea"),
+    (u"SS", u"South Sudan"),
+    (u"ES", u"Spain"),
+    (u"LK", u"Sri Lanka"),
+    (u"SD", u"Sudan"),
+    (u"SR", u"Suriname"),
+    (u"SJ", u"Svalbard and Jan Mayen"),
+    (u"SZ", u"Swaziland"),
+    (u"SE", u"Sweden"),
+    (u"CH", u"Switzerland"),
+    (u"SY", u"Syria"),
+    (u"TW", u"Taiwan"),
+    (u"TJ", u"Tajikistan"),
+    (u"TZ", u"Tanzania"),
+    (u"TH", u"Thailand"),
+    (u"TL", u"Timor-Leste"),
+    (u"TG", u"Togo"),
+    (u"TK", u"Tokelau"),
+    (u"TO", u"Tonga"),
+    (u"TT", u"Trinidad and Tobago"),
+    (u"TN", u"Tunisia"),
+    (u"TR", u"Turkey"),
+    (u"TM", u"Turkmenistan"),
+    (u"TC", u"Turks and Caicos Islands"),
+    (u"TV", u"Tuvalu"),
+    (u"UG", u"Uganda"),
+    (u"UA", u"Ukraine"),
+    (u"AE", u"United Arab Emirates"),
+    (u"GB", u"United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland"),
+    (u"UM", u"United States Minor Outlying Islands"),
+    (u"US", u"United States of America"),
+    (u"UY", u"Uruguay"),
+    (u"UZ", u"Uzbekistan"),
+    (u"VU", u"Vanuatu"),
+    (u"VE", u"Venezuela"),
+    (u"VN", u"Vietnam"),
+    (u"VG", u"Virgin Islands (British)"),
+    (u"VI", u"Virgin Islands (U.S.)"),
+    (u"WF", u"Wallis and Futuna"),
+    (u"EH", u"Western Sahara"),
+    (u"YE", u"Yemen"),
+    (u"ZM", u"Zambia"),
+    (u"ZW", u"Zimbabwe"),
 ]
diff --git a/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/views.py b/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/views.py
index 5fd8db5789..efc13a291c 100644
--- a/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/views.py
+++ b/openedx/core/djangoapps/user_api/views.py
@@ -581,22 +581,13 @@ class RegistrationView(APIView):
         # Translators: This label appears above a dropdown menu on the registration
         # form used to select the country in which the user lives.
         country_label = _(u"Country")
-
-        sorted_countries = sorted(
-            countries.countries, key=lambda(__, name): unicode(name)
-        )
-        options = [
-            (country_code, unicode(country_name))
-            for country_code, country_name in sorted_countries
-        ]
-
         error_msg = _(u"Please select your Country.")
 
         form_desc.add_field(
             "country",
             label=country_label,
             field_type="select",
-            options=options,
+            options=list(countries),
             include_default_option=True,
             required=required,
             error_messages={
diff --git a/requirements/edx/base.txt b/requirements/edx/base.txt
index 882510006a..fe4070cc18 100644
--- a/requirements/edx/base.txt
+++ b/requirements/edx/base.txt
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ defusedxml==0.4.1
 distribute>=0.6.28, <0.7
 django-babel-underscore==0.1.0
 django-celery==3.1.16
-django-countries==2.1.2
+django-countries==3.3
 django-extensions==1.2.5
 django-filter==0.6.0
 django-followit==0.0.3
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ xmltodict==0.4.1
 django-ratelimit-backend==0.6
 unicodecsv==0.9.4
 django-require==1.0.6
+pyuca==1.1
 
 # Used for shopping cart's pdf invoice/receipt generation
 reportlab==3.1.44