diff --git a/country-explorer/src/components/App.css b/country-explorer/src/components/App.css
index d6c7c9a..04f68d4 100644
--- a/country-explorer/src/components/App.css
+++ b/country-explorer/src/components/App.css
@@ -1,182 +1,3 @@
-.counter {
-  font-size: 16px;
-  padding: 5px 10px;
-  border-radius: 5px;
-  color: var(--accent);
-  background: var(--accent-bg);
-  border: 2px solid transparent;
-  transition: border-color 0.3s;
-  margin-bottom: 24px;
-
-  &:hover {
-    border-color: var(--accent-border);
-  }
-  &:focus-visible {
-    outline: 2px solid var(--accent);
-    outline-offset: 2px;
-  }
-}
-
-.hero {
-  position: relative;
-
-  .base,
-  .framework,
-  .vite {
-    inset-inline: 0;
-    margin: 0 auto;
-  }
-
-  .base {
-    width: 170px;
-    position: relative;
-    z-index: 0;
-  }
-
-  .framework,
-  .vite {
-    position: absolute;
-  }
-
-  .framework {
-    z-index: 1;
-    top: 34px;
-    height: 28px;
-    transform: perspective(2000px) rotateZ(300deg) rotateX(44deg) rotateY(39deg) scale(1.4);
-  }
-
-  .vite {
-    z-index: 0;
-    top: 107px;
-    height: 26px;
-    width: auto;
-    transform: perspective(2000px) rotateZ(300deg) rotateX(40deg) rotateY(39deg) scale(0.8);
-  }
-}
-
-#center {
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
-  gap: 25px;
-  place-content: center;
-  place-items: center;
-  flex-grow: 1;
-
-  @media (max-width: 1024px) {
-    padding: 32px 20px 24px;
-    gap: 18px;
-  }
-}
-
-#next-steps {
-  display: flex;
-  border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
-  text-align: left;
-
-  & > div {
-    flex: 1 1 0;
-    padding: 32px;
-    @media (max-width: 1024px) {
-      padding: 24px 20px;
-    }
-  }
-
-  .icon {
-    margin-bottom: 16px;
-    width: 22px;
-    height: 22px;
-  }
-
-  @media (max-width: 1024px) {
-    flex-direction: column;
-    text-align: center;
-  }
-}
-
-#docs {
-  border-right: 1px solid var(--border);
-
-  @media (max-width: 1024px) {
-    border-right: none;
-    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
-  }
-}
-
-#next-steps ul {
-  list-style: none;
-  padding: 0;
-  display: flex;
-  gap: 8px;
-  margin: 32px 0 0;
-
-  .logo {
-    height: 18px;
-  }
-
-  a {
-    color: var(--text-h);
-    font-size: 16px;
-    border-radius: 6px;
-    background: var(--social-bg);
-    display: flex;
-    padding: 6px 12px;
-    align-items: center;
-    gap: 8px;
-    text-decoration: none;
-    transition: box-shadow 0.3s;
-
-    &:hover {
-      box-shadow: var(--shadow);
-    }
-    .button-icon {
-      height: 18px;
-      width: 18px;
-    }
-  }
-
-  @media (max-width: 1024px) {
-    margin-top: 20px;
-    flex-wrap: wrap;
-    justify-content: center;
-
-    li {
-      flex: 1 1 calc(50% - 8px);
-    }
-
-    a {
-      width: 100%;
-      justify-content: center;
-      box-sizing: border-box;
-    }
-  }
-}
-
-#spacer {
-  height: 88px;
-  border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
-  @media (max-width: 1024px) {
-    height: 48px;
-  }
-}
-
-.ticks {
-  position: relative;
-  width: 100%;
-
-  &::before,
-  &::after {
-    content: '';
-    position: absolute;
-    top: -4.5px;
-    border: 5px solid transparent;
-  }
-
-  &::before {
-    left: 0;
-    border-left-color: var(--border);
-  }
-  &::after {
-    right: 0;
-    border-right-color: var(--border);
-  }
-}
+/* Visual styling for the main layout (header/main/footer, the three
+   content sections) is intentionally not added yet — this file will grow
+   as the components that go inside each section are built. */
diff --git a/country-explorer/src/components/App.tsx b/country-explorer/src/components/App.tsx
index 0937f92..deb916d 100644
--- a/country-explorer/src/components/App.tsx
+++ b/country-explorer/src/components/App.tsx
@@ -1,100 +1,39 @@
-import { useState } from 'react';
-import heroImg from '../assets/hero.png';
-import reactLogo from '../assets/react.svg';
-import viteLogo from '../assets/vite.svg';
 import './App.css';
 
 function App() {
-  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);
-
   return (
     <>
-      <section id="center">
-        <div className="hero">
-          <img src={heroImg} className="base" width="170" height="179" alt="" />
-          <img src={reactLogo} className="framework" alt="React logo" />
-          <img src={viteLogo} className="vite" alt="Vite logo" />
-        </div>
-        <div>
-          <h1>Get started</h1>
-          <p>
-            Edit <code>src/components/App.tsx</code> and save to test <code>HMR</code>
-          </p>
-        </div>
-        <button type="button" className="counter" onClick={() => setCount((count) => count + 1)}>
-          Count is {count}
-        </button>
-      </section>
+      <header>
+        <h1>Country Explorer</h1>
+        <p>Browse countries in Europe, filter and sort them, and save your favorites.</p>
+      </header>
+
+      <main>
+        <section aria-labelledby="controls-heading">
+          <h2 id="controls-heading">Filters and selection</h2>
+          {/* RegionFilter, SortSelector, and CountrySelector go here */}
+        </section>
 
-      <div className="ticks"></div>
+        <section aria-labelledby="country-heading">
+          <h2 id="country-heading">Selected country</h2>
+          {/* CountryCard, FavoriteButton, and NavigationControls go here */}
+        </section>
 
-      <section id="next-steps">
-        <div id="docs">
-          <svg className="icon" role="presentation" aria-hidden="true">
-            <use href="/icons.svg#documentation-icon"></use>
-          </svg>
-          <h2>Documentation</h2>
-          <p>Your questions, answered</p>
-          <ul>
-            <li>
-              <a href="https://vite.dev/" target="_blank">
-                <img className="logo" src={viteLogo} alt="" />
-                Explore Vite
-              </a>
-            </li>
-            <li>
-              <a href="https://react.dev/" target="_blank">
-                <img className="button-icon" src={reactLogo} alt="" />
-                Learn more
-              </a>
-            </li>
-          </ul>
-        </div>
-        <div id="social">
-          <svg className="icon" role="presentation" aria-hidden="true">
-            <use href="/icons.svg#social-icon"></use>
-          </svg>
-          <h2>Connect with us</h2>
-          <p>Join the Vite community</p>
-          <ul>
-            <li>
-              <a href="https://github.com/vitejs/vite" target="_blank">
-                <svg className="button-icon" role="presentation" aria-hidden="true">
-                  <use href="/icons.svg#github-icon"></use>
-                </svg>
-                GitHub
-              </a>
-            </li>
-            <li>
-              <a href="https://chat.vite.dev/" target="_blank">
-                <svg className="button-icon" role="presentation" aria-hidden="true">
-                  <use href="/icons.svg#discord-icon"></use>
-                </svg>
-                Discord
-              </a>
-            </li>
-            <li>
-              <a href="https://x.com/vite_js" target="_blank">
-                <svg className="button-icon" role="presentation" aria-hidden="true">
-                  <use href="/icons.svg#x-icon"></use>
-                </svg>
-                X.com
-              </a>
-            </li>
-            <li>
-              <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/vite.dev" target="_blank">
-                <svg className="button-icon" role="presentation" aria-hidden="true">
-                  <use href="/icons.svg#bluesky-icon"></use>
-                </svg>
-                Bluesky
-              </a>
-            </li>
-          </ul>
-        </div>
-      </section>
+        <section aria-labelledby="favorites-heading">
+          <h2 id="favorites-heading">Favorites</h2>
+          {/* FavoritesList goes here */}
+        </section>
+      </main>
 
-      <div className="ticks"></div>
-      <section id="spacer"></section>
+      <footer>
+        <p>
+          Country data provided by the{' '}
+          <a href="https://countries.dev" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">
+            countries.dev
+          </a>{' '}
+          REST API.
+        </p>
+      </footer>
     </>
   );
 }
diff --git a/country-explorer/src/index.css b/country-explorer/src/index.css
index f12902e..2d9d4db 100644
--- a/country-explorer/src/index.css
+++ b/country-explorer/src/index.css
@@ -42,10 +42,6 @@
     --social-bg: rgba(47, 48, 58, 0.5);
     --shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4) 0 10px 15px -3px, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25) 0 4px 6px -2px;
   }
-
-  #social .button-icon {
-    filter: invert(1) brightness(2);
-  }
 }
 
 #root {