Location: Springfield

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The City of Upper Springfield is a massive, economically powerful nation, ruled by Mayor Quimby with an even hand, and notable for its complete absence of social welfare. Its hard-nosed, hard-working population of 3.924 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.

There is no government in the normal sense of the word; however, a small group of community-minded individuals concentrates mainly on Commerce, although Healthcare and Education are secondary priorities. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Upper Springfield City. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 3%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Gambling, Information Technology, and Automobile Manufacturing industries.

Parents must choose their children's names from a government-mandated master list, Upper Springfield has designated Upper Springfield City as its capital city, foreigners are treated with great suspicion, and much of Upper Springfield's computer network is controlled by a rampant artificial intelligence. Crime is a serious problem, and the police force struggles against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Upper Springfield's national animal is the bear, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, its national religion is Church of Mayor Quimby, and its currency is the tala.

Upper Springfield is ranked 3rd in Springfield and 51,789th 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