Location: 10000 Islands

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Guardians of Ishtar is a massive, economically powerful nation, ruled by Saelvall with an iron fist, and remarkable for its complete lack of public education. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 1.316 billion are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, moralistic government stops and the rest of society begins, but it concentrates mainly on Defence, although Law & Order and Religion & Spirituality are on the agenda. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Uruk. The average income tax rate is 42%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Information Technology industry, followed by Arms Manufacturing and Uranium Mining.

Government spending has hit an all-time low, space shuttles regularly launch rubbish into space, all major public areas are watched by police surveillance cameras, and fewer people are bathing as citizens must show ration stamps before they can turn on their faucets. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Ishtar's national animal is the Raven, which is also the nation's favorite main course, its national religion is Ancient Semitic, and its currency is the Foreigner.

Ishtar is ranked 110th in 10000 Islands and 5,857th in the world for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring 5 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and