Cross-gender interaction: She is a beautiful country.

I've always wondered why we use the pronoun 'she' to refer to a country. Don't we only use 'she' to refer to females? A country is inanimate hence shouldn't 'it' be the correct pronoun to use? Just like how we refer to any other thing that doesn't have a sex.

And if a gender-specific pronoun has to be used, why is it not the more masculine 'he' since countries, after all, all try to be strong and powerful? Truly odd as all of these are male characteristics.

Then again, people usually refer to their country as their motherland. Perhaps this is why we use the female pronoun; Because a country is seen to provide a nurturing environment just like how a mother would.