Location: Canada

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Benevolent Dictatorship of Gastonalia is a massive, economically powerful nation, ruled by Louis XVI with an iron fist, and renowned for its barren, inhospitable landscape. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 2.762 billion are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Education. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Gastonalia City. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 83%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Woodchip Exports industry, followed by Furniture Restoration and Arms Manufacturing.

Schoolchildren have twice-weekly sex education classes, a typical fast food menu item could serve a small army, the government is cracking down on subversive groups, and euthanasia is illegal. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Gastonalia's national animal is the bird, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the pence.

Gastonalia is ranked 33rd in Canada and 15,778th 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