The United Socialist States of Aupore is a tiny, safe nation, renowned for its state-planned economy, devotion to social welfare, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, cynical population of 9 million Auporeans are ruled with an iron fist by the socialist government, which grants its people the freedom to do whatever they like so long as it doesn't involve getting richer than anybody else or challenging the government.

The enormous, socially-minded, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Law & Order, and Education. The average income tax rate is 71.6%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The basket case Auporean economy, worth 95.7 billion Aupoes a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is mostly made up of the Trout Farming industry, with significant contributions from Tourism and Information Technology. Average income is 10,632 Aupoes, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Tradesmen will knock 10% off their fees if customers pay cash, the nation's politicians are acknowledged as the most polite in the region to the dismay of comedians everywhere, retirement homes are often fitted with luxurious suites, and shady doctors seem to have impeccable records. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Aupore's national animal is the Ant, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Aupore is ranked 237,767^th in the world and 3,035^th in the South Pacific for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -5.1 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.