Location: the West Pacific

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The People's Democratic Republic of Xerxious is a massive, genial nation, ruled by Supreme Leader Lucas Duma with an iron fist, and renowned for its keen interest in outer space. Its compassionate, hard-working, cynical population of 4.751 billion are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Defence, Law & Order, and Social Welfare. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Meridian. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 70%. A small private sector is dominated by the Arms Manufacturing industry.

Loans are available for students from poor families, all citizens are solely referenced by their allocated identity number, conscientious objectors are hanged as traitors, and political activists are routinely executed. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Xerxious's national animal is the Python, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, its national religion is Catholicism, and its currency is the Xerxian Ral.

Xerxious is ranked 3,853rd in the West Pacific and 89,817th in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -21 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and