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“A Solis Ortu Usque Ad Occasum”

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The Council Republic of Emodea is a mammoth, socially progressive nation, ruled by Emperor Mikhail II with an even hand, and notable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, ritual sacrifices, and parental licensing program. The hard-nosed, hard-working, humorless population of 6.97 billion Emodeans enjoy some of the most opulent lifestyles in the region, unless they are unemployed or working-class, in which case they are variously starving to death or crippled by easily preventable diseases.

The minute, corrupt, liberal, pro-business government, or what there is of one, is effectively ruled by the Department of Industry, although Defense is also considered important, while Law & Order and Social Policy are ignored. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Lunagard. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 1.6%.

The frighteningly efficient Emodean economy, worth a remarkable 1,280 trillion qiples a year, is driven almost entirely by the private sector, which is broadly diversified and led by the Gambling industry, with major contributions from Soda Sales, Retail, and Information Technology. Average income is an impressive 183,646 qiples, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 678,780 per year while the poor average 35,023, a ratio of 19.4 to 1.

Bread-gangs raid restaurant waste bins to stockpile uneaten rolls, employers are finding it hard to screen candidates now that everyone gets A grades in their exams, the installation of street lights across remote goat tracks has left citizens bemused, and exports of chewing gum are inexplicably falling. Crime, especially youth-related, is all-pervasive, perhaps because of the country's complete lack of prisons. Emodea's national animal is the buffalo, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is the Church of Arda.

Emodea is ranked 86,965^th in the world and 55^th in Estalcia for Highest Poor Incomes, with 35,023.71 Standard Monetary Units.