Location: Australia

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Federation of Zhong Shan is a massive, genial nation, ruled by Sir Charles Openshaw with a fair hand, and renowned for its complete absence of social welfare. Its compassionate, hard-working, intelligent population of 1.88 billion hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The government -- a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked morass -- is mainly concerned with Education, although Healthcare and Public Transport are on the agenda. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Macquarie. The average income tax rate is 41%, but much higher for the wealthy. A powerhouse of a private sector is dominated by the Book Publishing industry.

Citizens select which government department gets their income tax Dollars each year, conductors wield diamond-encrusted batons to fit in with their freshly gilded surroundings, the government has started a campaign to crack down on road rage and encourage alternate means of commuting, and more and more students are taking up a career in medicine. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Zhong Shan's national animal is the Lion, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its currency is the Dollar.

Zhong Shan is ranked 33rd in Australia and 90,694th in the world for Shortest Average Lifespan, scoring -22 on the Bus Surprisal Index.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and