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“Blessed be Pope Shadow”

Overview • Policies • People • Government • Economy • Rank • Trend • Cards

The Theocracy of Pope Shadow is a colossal, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its burgeoning corgi population. The quiet, industrious population of 2.917 billion Pope Shadowians have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Healthcare, and Welfare. The average income tax rate is 24.9%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The Pope Shadowian economy, worth 107 trillion souls a year, is led by the Furniture Restoration industry, with major contributions from Soda Sales, Automobile Manufacturing, and Door-to-door Insurance Sales. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 36,757 souls, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.7 times as much as the poorest.

Sales of fishnet stockings have reached a record high, the new Refuse Hills housing development is under construction, a major religion has been named as Pope Shadow's national religion, and Leader has just been declared ruler of Pope Shadow in an international press conference. Crime is relatively low, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Pope Shadow's national animal is the corgi, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Pope Shadow is ranked 249,286^th in the world and 14^th in Enomenos for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 27.93 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.