Location: The United Kingdom

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The United Kingdom of Great British Islands is a colossal, safe nation, ruled by Victor Meldrew with an even hand, and renowned for its sprawling nuclear power plants. Its hard-nosed, hard-working population of 9.9 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 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 London. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 87%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, followed by Tourism and Soda Sales.

Military barracks resemble five-star hotels, recruitment posters proclaim the army to be both fabulous and fashionable, religious organizations are being forced to leave the country or pay income taxes like everybody else, and suburban families are finding themselves increasingly short on food as they waste precious water on their lawns. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Great British Islands's national animal is the Lion, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Pound Sterling.

Great British Islands is ranked 9th in The United Kingdom and 80,476th 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