diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 4276385..fdbe59f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ pip install pycountry-wrapper
 ## Usage
 
 ```python
-from pycountry_wrapper import Country, CountryDoesNotExist
+from pycountry_wrapper import Country
 
 germany = Country.from_alpha_2("DE")
 print(germany)
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ print(germany.name)
 
 try:
     does_not_exist = Country.from_alpha_2("EN")
-except CountryDoesNotExist:
-    # if the country wasn't found, this exception is thrown
+except ValueError:
+    # if the country wasn't found, a ValueError is raised
     pass
 ```
 
diff --git a/pycountry_wrapper/__init__.py b/pycountry_wrapper/__init__.py
index 5c983d9..ef89313 100644
--- a/pycountry_wrapper/__init__.py
+++ b/pycountry_wrapper/__init__.py
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 import pycountry
 
-class CountryDoesNotExist(Exception): pass
-
-
 class Country:
     """
     This gets countries based on the ISO 3166-1 standart.
@@ -12,7 +9,7 @@ class Country:
     - Country.from_alpha_2("DE")
     - Country.from_alpha_3("DEU")
 
-    If the country couldn't be found, it raises the pycountry_wrapper.CountryDoesNotExist exception.
+    If the country couldn't be found, it raises a ValueError.
     """
 
     def __new__(cls, country: str = None, pycountry_object = None, silent: bool = False):
@@ -28,7 +25,7 @@ class Country:
         if pycountry_object is None:
             if silent:
                 return None
-            raise CountryDoesNotExist()
+            raise ValueError(f"Country {country} couldn't be found")
 
         self.pycountry_object = pycountry_object
         return self