The Colony of - 8 is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, renowned for its state-planned economy, compulsory military service, and punitive income tax rates. The hard-nosed population of 2.294 billion - 8ians are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, socially-minded government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Spirituality, Welfare, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Douglas City. The average income tax rate is 76.9%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but underdeveloped - 8ian economy, worth 52.3 trillion betales a year, is driven almost entirely by government activity, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a slick, highly efficient, highly specialized black market in Tourism, Trout Farming, and Woodchip Exports. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. State-owned companies are the norm. Average income is 22,788 betales, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.9 times as much as the poorest.

Employers may fire workers without giving any reason, citizens are enjoying a recent large cut in taxes, citizens can be frequently spotted going about their business stark naked, and - 8 has designated Douglas City as its capital city. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. - 8's national animal is the deer, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

- 8 is ranked 188,377^th in the world and 325^th in Omega Prime for Largest Gambling Industry, scoring zero on the Kelly Criterion Productivity Index.