Location: SPACE

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Federated Democratic States of Xanthal is a gargantuan, safe nation, notable for its punitive income tax rates. Its hard-nosed, intelligent population of 18.637 billion enjoy extensive civil freedoms, particularly in social issues, while business tends to be more regulated.

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 Equality, and the Environment. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Olink. The average income tax rate is 78%, and even higher for the wealthy. A powerhouse of a private sector is dominated by the Book Publishing industry.

Billions of quinaults are being blown on orbital weapons development, long arduous trials are held for the most trivial of offences, urban high-volume mailers now receive their mail via chauffeur-driven limousines, and the mob and the police have recently had numerous clashes in the back alleys of Xanthal's cities due to the government's steadfast anti-casino stance. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Xanthal's national animal is the fox, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the quinault.

Xanthal is ranked 36th in SPACE and 99,908th in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -40 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

Preview

NationStates by Max Barry, author of and