Location: The New Galactic Empire

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Kingdom of Arathan is a huge, cultured nation, notable for its hatred of cheese. Its hard-nosed population of 569 million have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it is mainly concerned with Education, although Law & Order and Social Equality are secondary priorities. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Arathan City. The average income tax rate is 78%, and even higher for the wealthy. A small but healthy private sector is dominated by the Book Publishing industry.

It is a crime to offend someone's religious beliefs, the 'kind of scrawny' 500 meter hurdle is a popular event, the newspaper industry is subsidised by the government in order to keep it afloat, and Members of Parliament are often found living in cardboard boxes. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Arathan's national animal is the Gazelle, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Arathan Ducet.

Arathan is ranked 59th in The New Galactic Empire and 77,204th in the world for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -2 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and