Location: the South Pacific

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Empire of Richardian is a massive, safe nation, ruled by King Ricardo Martin with an iron fist, and notable for its prohibition of alcohol. Its compassionate, cynical population of 2.072 billion are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Religion & Spirituality, Defence, and Law & Order. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Richardia . The average income tax rate is 72%, and even higher for the wealthy. A robust private sector is dominated by the Tourism industry.

Abortions are carried out secretly in shady backstreet clinics, the airship business has been driven out of the country by strict regulations and high fines, the internet has been placed under government control, and the armed forces are locked in an expensive and bloody war abroad to stamp out possible terrorists. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Richardian's national animal is the Tiger, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, its national religion is Richardian Catholic Church, and its currency is the Richardian.

Richardian is ranked 4,476th in the South Pacific and 91,506th in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -23 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and