Location: The East Pacific

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The United Socialist States of Vespa-Pallas is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Bobo McAllister with an even hand, and notable for its hatred of cheese. Its hard-nosed, hard-working population of 1.62 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 is mainly concerned with Healthcare, although Education and Commerce are secondary priorities. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Vespa-Pallas City. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 45%. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Woodchip Exports industry, followed by Uranium Mining and Door-to-door Insurance Sales.

Organised sports are frowned upon as frivolous, eight year-olds can be seen lighting up in public areas, the government is making attempts at curtailing the flood of spam emails with little progress, and students are known to arrive at school in their pyjamas. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is a serious problem, probably because of the country's utter lack of prisons. Vespa-Pallas's national animal is the aubergine rampant, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its currency is the aubergine rampant.

Vespa-Pallas is ranked 3,095th in The East Pacific and 68,785th in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -14 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and