Where the eagle really landed: a backward country? (5)
I believe the answer is:
aerie
'where the eagle really landed' is the definition.
The answer is a location as well as being a singular noun. This is suggested by the definition.
'a backward country?' is the wordplay.
'backward' is a reversal indicator.
'country?' becomes 'eire' (Eire is an example).
'eire' in reverse letter order is 'erie'.
'a'+'erie'='AERIE'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for aerie that I've seen before include "inaccessible place" , "Lofty nest (alternative spelling)" , "brood" , "lofty dwelling" , "Visionary" .)