Location: Minnesota

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Targeted Metropolitan Dome of Fotonia is a colossal, safe nation, ruled by Reverend Bert Blyleven with an even hand, and renowned for its anti-smoking policies. Its hard-nosed, hard-working population of 6.99 billion are either ruled by a sleek, efficient government or a conglomerate of multinational corporations; it's difficult to tell which.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Religion & Spirituality, and Defence. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Darinopolis. The average income tax rate is 28%. The private sector is almost wholly made up of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, although the government is looking at stamping this out.

Disaster victims are viewed with disdain, fewer people are bathing as citizens must show ration stamps before they can turn on their faucets, universities are populated by the spawn of the upper classes, and the nation refuses to provide international aid. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Fotonia's national animal is the Shutterbug, which is also the nation's favorite main course, its national religion is Major League Baseball, and its currency is the silver halide crystal.

Fotonia is ranked 14th in Minnesota and 98,709th in the world for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -7 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and