Location: Europe

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Dominion of Valrem is a massive, socially progressive nation, ruled by Cole Relander with a fair hand, and notable for its devotion to social welfare. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 4.355 billion enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent government stops and the rest of society begins, but it concentrates mainly on Education, although Social Welfare and the Environment are on the agenda. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Excelsior City. The average income tax rate is 45%, but much higher for the wealthy. A powerhouse of a private sector is dominated by the Book Publishing industry.

Refugees from other nations are flocking to Valrem's border, X-Files ratings have hit an all-time low, the nation has an international reputation for compassion, and anti-government web sites are springing up. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown. Valrem's national animal is the wolf, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the note.

Valrem is ranked 388th in Europe and 92,161st in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -23 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and