Location: Africa

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Alien Sultanate of Serandum is a gargantuan, safe nation, remarkable for its happy-go-lucky citizens. Its hard-working population of 20.5 billion are either ruled by a sleek, efficient government or a conglomerate of multinational corporations; it's difficult to tell which.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it concentrates mainly on Defence, although the Environment and Education are secondary priorities. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 33%. A powerhouse of a private sector is dominated by the Gambling industry.

Half of Serandum's doctors can't speak the language, the nation's diplomatic missives are now delivered via sniper rifle, the welfare administration’s new sweeping authority has forced the poor and needy to shop from pre-approved grocery lists, and large areas of Serandum are not accessible by the public. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Serandum's national animal is the koala, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the sendum.

Serandum is ranked 44th in Africa and 98,002nd in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -32 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and