Location: Nederland

Overview • People • Government • Economy • Trend • Analysis

The Free Democracy of Ballotonia is a gargantuan, socially progressive nation, ruled by Ballo with a fair hand, and renowned for its keen interest in outer space. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, intelligent population of 20.41 billion hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

There is no government in the normal sense of the word; however, a small group of community-minded, liberal individuals is effectively ruled by the Department of Education, with areas such as Defence and Religion & Spirituality receiving almost no funds by comparison. It meets every day to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Tulipolis. Income tax is unheard of. A powerhouse of a private sector is led by the Gambling industry, followed by Book Publishing and Uranium Mining.

The nation is experiencing a severe shortage of sporting events, the "Underwear of Women in Power" issue of The Tulipolis Times is sold out, pristine wilderness has been trashed in the quest for cheaper oil, and much of Ballotonia's computer network is controlled by a rampant artificial intelligence. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is crippling, and the police force struggles against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Ballotonia's national animal is the Penguin, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, its national religion is Atheism, and its currency is the Lev.

Ballotonia is ranked 4th in Nederland and 364th in the world for Most Subsidized Industry, scoring 236 on the Gilded Widget Scale.

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NationStates by Max Barry, author of and