Location: European Union

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Empire of Wotanchester is a massive, genial nation, renowned for its hatred of cheese. Its compassionate, intelligent population of 1.364 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 Education, Social Welfare, and Social Equality. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Jerusalem. The average income tax rate is 83%, and even higher for the wealthy. Private enterprise is illegal, but for those in the know there is a slick and highly efficient black market in Tourism.

Heavy industry must go to expensive lengths to dispose of waste, government-run screening operations remove embryos with severe genetic disorders, crowds of flag-burning protesters tend to accidentally become crowds of burning protesters, and airport security is provided by private companies. Crime is totally unknown. Wotanchester's national animal is the Wolf, which is also the nation's favorite main course, its national religion is Secularism, and its currency is the Comard.

Wotanchester is ranked 100th in European Union and 96,744th in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -29 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and