Location: Antarctic Oasis

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The United States of Philimbesi is a gargantuan, genial nation, notable for its compulsory military service. Its compassionate, hard-working, intelligent population of 10.347 billion are effectively ruled by a group of massive corporations, who run for political office and provide their well-off citizens with world-class goods and services. Their poorer citizens, however, are mostly starving to death while being urged to go out and get real jobs. The populace has reasonably extensive civil rights, although these are mostly aimed at allowing them to buy whatever they like.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Defence, Education, and Law & Order. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 68%. A powerhouse of a private sector is dominated by the Book Publishing industry.

Buses are widely regarded as the safest way to travel, the latest Harry Potter book is a bestseller, teams of painters are converting road signs from horse lengths to kilometers, and the armed forces are locked in an expensive and bloody war abroad to stamp out possible terrorists. Crime is well under control, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Philimbesi's national animal is the Gecko, and its currency is the Greenback.

Philimbesi is ranked 50th in Antarctic Oasis and 79,983rd in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -17 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and