Location: The North Pacific

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Republic of Selfgradatude is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Leader with a fair hand, and renowned for its compulsory military service. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, intelligent population of 2.093 billion enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Education, Social Welfare, and Law & Order. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Selfgradatude City. The average income tax rate is 39%, but much higher for the wealthy. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Information Technology, Retail, and Woodchip Exports industries.

Eight year-olds can be seen lighting up in public areas, citizens are allowed to rise or fall based on their own merits, Selfgradatude's navy has been named the scourge of the seven thousand seas, and Red Cross demand for body bags are rising while sutures are decreasing. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Selfgradatude's national animal is the golden eagle, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the dollar.

Selfgradatude is ranked 2,803rd in The North Pacific and 57,995th in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -13 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and