diff --git a/get_ee_from_region.py b/get_ee_from_region.py
index 5f7235c..8328e18 100755
--- a/get_ee_from_region.py
+++ b/get_ee_from_region.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 import logging
 import stat
 import os
+from os.path import exists
+
 import ee
 import sys
 import argparse
@@ -14,6 +16,16 @@ from country_iso2ify import get_resolver
 
 resolver = get_resolver()
 
+def list_subunits_and_exit(country_name):
+    iso_code = resolver.resolve(country_name)
+    countries = country_subunits_by_iso_code(iso_code)
+    logging.debug("Country is [{}] iso code is [{}]".format(country_name,iso_code))
+    item = None
+    if countries:
+        for item in countries:
+            print("Subunit of [{}]: [{}]".format(country_name,item.subunit))
+    sys.exit(0)
+
 
 def get_mainland_bbox(country_name, region_name):
     # Returns the main continental/primary bounding box
@@ -65,7 +77,7 @@ program_name = 'get_ee_from_region.py'
 
 parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
     prog=program_name,
-    description='get a url from google ee api based on supplied region',
+    description='get a url from google ee api based on supplied region, optionally list subregions of a country',
     epilog='Good luck')
 
 parser.add_argument(
@@ -81,8 +93,8 @@ parser.add_argument(
     "-L",
     "--list-subunits",
     dest='list_subunits',
-    action='store_true',
-    default=False,
+    action='count',
+    default=0,
     required=False,
     help="list country subunits and exit")
 
@@ -90,6 +102,7 @@ parser.add_argument(
     "-v",
     "--verbose",
     dest='verbose',
+    default=True,
     required=False,
     action='store_true',
     help="verbose mode, log output goes to stderr")
@@ -99,7 +112,7 @@ parser.add_argument(
     "--country",
     dest='country',
     metavar='country',
-    default='US',
+    default='United States',
     action='store',
     help="country to get topo image for")
 
@@ -134,6 +147,12 @@ if args.logging or args.verbose:
     if args.verbose:
         logging.debug('logging to stderr requested')
 
+logging.debug('list_subunits is [{}]'.format(args.list_subunits))
+
+if args.list_subunits > 0:
+    list_subunits_and_exit(args.country)
+
+
 t = Timerlog("atomic test").start()
 logging.debug(t.end().report())