The Republic of East Alma is a tiny, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service, punitive income tax rates, and restrictive gun laws. The cynical population of 16 million East Almen are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The enormous, moralistic, socially-minded, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Spirituality. The average income tax rate is 73.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The basket case East Alman economy, worth 103 billion florins 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 dominated by the Uranium Mining industry, with significant contributions from Pizza Delivery, Basket Weaving, and Woodchip Exports. Average income is 6,447 florins, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. East Alma's national animal is the leopard, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

East Alma is ranked 282,300^th in the world and 968^th in Concord for Largest Welfare Programs, scoring 328.76 on the Safety Net Mesh Density Rating.