Location: Osiris

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Republic of Heaste is a gargantuan, safe nation, ruled by Mabel the Magnificent with an iron fist, and renowned for its anti-smoking policies. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 10.265 billion are ruled with an iron fist by the corrupt, dictatorship government, which oppresses anyone who isn't on the board of a Fortune 500 company. Large corporations tend to be above the law, and use their financial clout to gain ever-increasing government benefits at the expense of the poor and unemployed.

There is no government in the normal sense of the word; however, a small group of community-minded, corrupt, pro-business individuals is effectively ruled by the Department of Law & Order, with areas such as Social Equality and Religion & Spirituality receiving almost no funds by comparison. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Fort Mabel. Income tax is unheard of. A powerhouse of a private sector is dominated by the Soda Sales industry.

The government is spending millions on renovating the public transportation system, once-popular honeymoon destinations have become ghosts towns due to a lack of visitors, newspapers cannot report anything about politicians without their explicit consent, and heavy industry grinds to a halt as new equipment must be biked in. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Heaste's national animal is the jellicle cat, which is also the nation's favorite main course, its national religion is Devout Atheism, and its currency is the widget.

Heaste is ranked 23rd in Osiris and 1,117th in the world for Largest Trout Fishing Sector, scoring 10 on the Nemo Depletion Efficiency Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and