Location: Europe

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Empire of Okaba is a massive, economically powerful nation, ruled by Emperor Seto I with an iron fist, and renowned for its parental licensing program. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 3.885 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 is mainly concerned with Defence, although Law & Order and Healthcare are on the agenda. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Eton Nir. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 82%. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Uranium Mining.

Marketing departments of corporate giants compete to sponsor little league teams, calling out of the blue has become taboo, students cut up leftover credits during Arts and Crafts, and murderers frequently escape punishment by claiming they were protecting their honour. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Okaba's national animal is the snake, which is also the nation's favorite main course, its national religion is Atheism, and its currency is the credit.

Okaba is ranked 37th in Europe and 4,022nd in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring 18 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and