Location: Balder

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Cuige of Laighean is a massive, socially progressive nation, ruled by King Brian Boru with an iron fist, and remarkable for its unlimited-speed roads. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 2.422 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 Defence, Law & Order, and Education. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Baile Atha Cliath. The average income tax rate is 89%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Gambling industry, followed by Beef-Based Agriculture and Arms Manufacturing.

Traveller camps regularly block five-lane superhighways, Animal Liberationists are regularly jailed, businesses are forced to bring all work back within the nation’s borders, and Ravens are frequently shot for looking at people 'in a funny way'. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Laighean's national animal is the Raven, which is also the nation's favorite main course, its national religion is Roman Catholicism, and its currency is the punt.

Laighean is ranked 1,886th in Balder and 78,506th 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