Location: New York

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Infinite Empire of The Trefoil Knot is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its complete lack of prisons. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 1.292 billion are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The large government juggles the competing demands of Education, Law & Order, and Social Welfare. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 23%. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Book Publishing.

Euthanasia is legal, the latest Harry Potter book is a bestseller, young children are regularly seen wagering pocket money at blackjack tables, and the nation's new foreign policy of 'very disproportionate retribution' has its neighbors on edge. Crime is a serious problem, probably because of the country's utter lack of prisons. The Trefoil Knot's national animal is the Phoenix, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the Trefoil Knot.

The Trefoil Knot is ranked 78th in New York and 51,923rd 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