Location: The Byzantine Galactic Empire

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Byzantine Prefecture of Terraius is a colossal, safe nation, ruled by Imperator Iustinianus Augustus XVII with an even hand, and renowned for its punitive income tax rates. Its compassionate population of 5.13 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 Defence, Law & Order, and Religion & Spirituality. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Rome. The average income tax rate is 71%, and even higher for the wealthy. A robust private sector is dominated by the Arms Manufacturing industry.

Airport security is provided by private companies, politicians are losing their jobs in a plan to make the government 'leaner and fitter', rumours have it that a secret police is responsible for the recent spate of missing persons, and houses and businesses are bulldozed to make way for ever-expanding cemeteries. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Terraius's national animal is the Eagle, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, its national religion is Imperial Christianity, and its currency is the Solidus.

Terraius is ranked 7th in The Byzantine Galactic Empire and 83,130th in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -18 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and