Location: the South Pacific

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Free Land of Flargenstow is a huge, socially progressive nation, remarkable for its hatred of cheese. Its intelligent population of 576 million hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Social Welfare, Education, and Healthcare. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Peen Heights. The average income tax rate is 50%, and even higher for the wealthy. A healthy private sector is led by the Tourism industry, followed by Book Publishing and Gambling.

Space research funding has hit a recent high while several military bases are being closed down, citizens are expected to be proficient in at least five languages, a fashion designer has been arrested for inciting hatred after claiming redheads couldn't pull off vermillion, and scientists recently cloned the long-extinct feather-bellied Norwhale. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is moderate, probably because of the country's utter lack of prisons. Flargenstow's national animal is the Norwhale, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the Nacho.

Flargenstow is ranked 4,292nd in the South Pacific and 87,539th in the world for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -3 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and