The People's Republic of Common16 is a colossal, cultured nation, ruled by Pablo with an even hand, and notable for its compulsory military service, state-planned economy, and ubiquitous missile silos. The hard-nosed population of 3.779 billion Common16ians are prohibited from doing almost everything except voting, which they do timidly and conservatively.

The enormous, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Education, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Cartagena. The average income tax rate is 70.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The large but inefficient Common16ian economy, worth 147 trillion wood chips 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 led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Basket Weaving, Furniture Restoration, and Book Publishing. Average income is 38,953 wood chips, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Nothing is more offensive than being inoffensive, most fires are already out by the time the bucket brigade gets to them, the nation's spies are always on break time, and the sun rises an hour later on border communities. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Common16's national animal is the monkey, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Roman Catholic.

Common16 is ranked 99,671^st in the world and 14^th in Common Storage for Longest Average Lifespans, with 73.63 years.