Location: The Jesuit Nations

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The United States of Shoowa is a massive, genial nation, renowned for its keen interest in outer space. Its compassionate, hard-working, cynical population of 1.269 billion have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Education, and Social Welfare. The average income tax rate is 37%. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Book Publishing.

Newspapers may not print any negative stories about the government, ten-year-olds regularly found their own political parties, the Holy Office of the Inquisition is the highest court in the land, and a large concrete wall is being built around the country's borders. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is relatively low, thanks to a well-funded police force. Shoowa's national animal is the goat, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the traal.

Shoowa is ranked 198th in The Jesuit Nations and 48,951st in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -12 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and