Laser Winter

Background
The former Innotopian mining colony of Wintersland threw off their chains in the Revolution of 1904, after their colonial masters banned blackjack and levied unfair taxes on Winterite hookers. Within two years, the fledgling state was taken over by the leader of the revolutionary armed forces, Col. Thomas Anchor, and the country is now ruled by his descendants. Despite these decidedly undemocratic traditions, the Anchors -- who have since changed their family name to Winter -- have remained in power due to their knack for keeping the country rich, and for knowing how much oppression is too much.

Geography
Location: On the Isle of Despond, south of Casur Sios and west of New Vettonia and Bitterkeep.

Climate: Temperate along coasts; interior cold and arid.

Terrain: Coastal plains quickly give way to a mountainous interior. The central part of the country is dominated by the Suffolk High Plains, a plateau that averages 13,200 feet in elevation.

People
Population: 251,000,000 (August 2011 est.)

Nationality
 * noun: Winterite(s)
 * adjective: Winterite

Ethnic Groups
 * Winterite: 99.8%
 * Misc.: 0.2%

Religions
 * Atheist: 86%
 * Luxannite: 14%
 * Minor sects: <1%

''By official figures, 100% atheist; however, the government quietly tolerates the intensely patriotic Church of Luxanna Triumphant, which operates in the guise of a social club. The splinter Church of Morgana appears to be gaining strength among immigrants.''

Languages
 * Winteritic: 100%

Winteritic is mutually intelligible with English; the government appears to hew to the idea that a language is a dialect with an army and navy.

Literacy Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
 * Total population: 94%
 * Male: 93%
 * Female: 95%

Education expenditures: 1.75% of GDP (2011)

Government
Country name
 * Conventional long form: Rogue Nation of Laser Winter
 * Conventional short form: Laser Winter
 * Local long form: Our Nation in the Land of Winter
 * Local short form: Winter

''Commander Grip Anchor temporarily renamed the nation Laser Winter in a fit of exuberance after the successful deployment of siege lasers against Longbox in 1964. While the change was reverted shortly afterwards, the name has stuck in foreign lands.''

Government type: Constitutional dictatorship

Capital:
 * Name: Lux Mundi
 * Location: 30 miles north of Warfield Bay, in the south central part of Winter

Administrative divisions:
 * Border Regions Bitterkeep, New Vettonia, Jutland, Casur Sios East, Casur Sios Central, Casur Sios West.
 * Coastal Regions 1-8.
 * Interior Regions A-N.

The numbered and lettered regions are typically nicknamed according to a prominent geographical feature; Coastal Region 4, for example, is also unofficially referred to as Warfield.

National Holidays
 * January 1, New Year's Day
 * January 11, Day of Resolve
 * April 2, Leader's Birthday
 * August 19, Independence Day
 * August 20, Air Force Day
 * August 21, Army Day
 * August 22, Navy Day
 * August 23, Victory Day

The Day of Resolve conveniently coincides with the main Luxannite holiday, the Feast of Luxanna Salvatrix.

Constitution:

The Winter Constitution of 1910 guarantees to the citizens a very small set of very specific rights, and notably absent is the right to have any sort of say in the government. In large part, the rights of the people are determined by the benevolence of the current Commander.

Legal system: Winter common law

Executive branch:
 * Head of state: Commander Arthur Winter
 * Cabinet: The heads of the Departments of the Air Force, Army, Navy, Industry, and the People.

Suffrage: N/A.

Political parties and leaders: N/A.

Since the Electoral Reform Act of 1956, political parties have been banned, as have elections.

National anthem: From Triumph to Triumph

Economy
GDP (purchasing power parity): $6.7 trillion (Aug 2011)

GDP - per capita (PPP): $26,659.47 (Aug 2011)

Unemployment rate: 2.84%

Budget:
 * Revenues: $1.22 trillion
 * Expenditures: $976 billion

Industries: Arms manufacturing, information technology, automobile manufacturing.

Exports: $825 billion

Imports: $801 billion

Exchange rates: 1 Lux = $1.2844