Location: the West Pacific

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Empire of Ballygorteen is a huge, environmentally stunning nation, renowned for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, intelligent population of 849 million enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Commerce. The average income tax rate is 39%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Book Publishing industry, followed by Gambling and Automobile Manufacturing.

Most governmental positions are filled by zealous nationalists, students are known to arrive at school in their pyjamas, military spending is on the increase, and parents must choose their children's names from a government-mandated master list. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ballygorteen's national animal is the Cheetah, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the Bally.

Ballygorteen is ranked 3,393rd in the West Pacific and 75,748th 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