Uberworld Countries: A-H

After the Taliban's Al Qaida allies killed thousands of innocent civilians using airplanes to crash into the World Trade Center buildings, the democratic world awakened and took action. Afghanistan was liberated from the yoke of the Taliban. And, since then both civil rights and the economy are doing profoundly better than any time in the recent history of the country.

Still, the Taliban and its allies are not completely erradicated. Numerous bands exist in the mountains of the eastern parts of the country. The superhuman known as Mugahid also has been disruptive of attempts to bring back order to Afghanistan and has interfered with economic growth as well. It is not known at this point if there is any degree of coordination between Mugahid and the terrorist forces. Also, the farming population, who had long grown accustomed to growing opium poppies, continues to do so, creating a continuous international law enforcement problem.

What was left for the new democracy was in shambles. Even now, the current government struggles to boost the welfare of its citizens and has one of the poorest economies of Europe. This is largely due to poor infrastructure and a large public debt. Still hope comes in many forms. Despite its statement of protection for ethnic Albanians outside of Albania, the government has been helpful in mediating disputes in Southeastern Europe. Corruption, while still present has steadily diminished. And the economy is growing.

Crime in Albania is still a work in progress. Of most international concern is its growing role in trafficking of drugs from Southwest Asia and South America to Western Europe. Ethnic Albanian organizations - including the Dhimgioka crime family that has scattered throughout Europe - have played a large role in the distribution of drugs.

Although Algeria has large petroleum and natural gas reserves, there is little diversity in its economy due largely to bureaucracy. Further, the cash has not been used efficiently to improve general social welfare and infrastructure. Poor living standard and high unemployment continue to make the populace generally dissatisfied. The Islamic militant movement has taken advantage of this. Fatwa, too, has attacked government and corporate targets in Algeria.

France, Italy, and the United States are the major trade partners of Algeria. The country has a major border dispute with Morocco as each country accuses the other of arms smuggling and harboring militants.

Currently, the economy is heavily dependent on tourism. There are even rumors that the superhero community enjoys vacationing in private lodges in a certain forested vale within the country. A group of teenage uberhumans, Ola Nuevo, has been known to operate in the country. At this time, the people who have seen them are divided in categorizing them as heroes or villains.

While the country itself is rich in natural resources, much of the population lives on subsistence agriculture. Corruption, war-damaged infrastructure, and large areas still having land mines impede efficient tapping of the resources. Oil production is the major industry and the reason for major credit backing from the People's Republic of China.

The blood diamond trade is declining and giving way to legitimate mining operations. Cocaine trafficking is also a point of international contention for Angola.

Recent ads placed by the country's Tourism Board in the magazines, Supers and Ubers, and Heroic Times, openly invite overseas 'supers' to come and make their home here. Of interest, the government has forbidden travel to the island of Lagarto due to unexplained disappearances of a few people who have gone there.

Since the Falklands War in 1982, Argentina has had little in the way of outright conflict. Still, it carries border disbutes with Chile in Antarctica, and with the U.K. in both Antarctica and the Falklands. A nexus of criminal activities at the Tri-Border area with Brazil and Paraguay is primarily due to illicit drug and arms smuggling, money laundering, and fundraising for extremist groups.

The team of Hit and Run are considered bandits by Argentine law enforcement as well as that of other countries in the Americas. In the barrios of Argentina, they are often charitable and considered Robin Hood-like heroes. A gang of vampires has been terrorizing Buenos Aires nights, their leader is known as Cain. The superhero, Abel, often tries to counter the vampires, but also spends much of his time working as part of the international detective agency, Reddy, Willing, and Abel.

There is a large degree of tension with neighboring Azerbaijan as well as some tension with Turkey. Over 200,000 ethnic Armenians have fled Azerbaijan, and a large number of ethnic Azerbaijani have fled Armenia. Ethnic Armenians in Georgia, Turkey, and Iran are also minor international problems. Government corruption measures have been introduced, but are slow to be enforced. There is also a low amount of drug trafficking in Armenia that continues to plague law enforcement.

Sky Queen is the only known uber to be operating in Armenia. She is generally regarded as an outlaw villain, but because some of her activities, a minority of the populace regard her as a patriot. In fact, Turkey and Azerbaijan both have condemned Armenia for failing to apprehend Sky Queen; this is a sore point in the local foreign relations. Sky Queen has worked with T.I.T.A.N. before as well as Oktyabr and even Russian Dawn. But most of her activities seems to be stealing - especially fashionable women's clothing and accessories.

The majority of surface worlders believe that Atlantis is a fictitious land from legends. Few are those surface worlders that know that it actually exists; fewer still are those that have seen an Atlantean. Thus, there are few reasons for tensions with nearby nations. The major source of tension for Atlantis is Lemuria, with whom they are currently at an uneasy peace.

There are three teams of superheroes that operate in Atlantis and an equal number of supervillain teams. Occasionally Atlanteans such as Armada, Behemoth, and Starfish work with surface worlders.

The Skellarians, an alien race, have set up a small scout base in Australia, which is not generally known.

There is little uberhuman activity here except in the abatement of natural disasters such as avalanches, extreme cold, floods, and mudslides. The team of Double Eagle, who announced that he will retire in 2007, and his young mentoree, Edelweiss, seem very capable of handling these crises, even though they are thought of as 'part-time' or 'amateur' superheroes by others such as U-Force and The Brotherhood, with whom they have cooperated twice. Recently, a destructive uber known as Blizzard has appeared causing sporadic damage in Graz, Vienna, Salzburg, and Innsbruck. Each time her rampages have been stopped and each time she has disappeared outright for weeks or even months before striking again.

Before the Witch Doctor came to power, Azambia was dirt poor.  The President has brought with him advanced technology and instigated massive industrialisation and educational plans.  English has become the official language, replacing French.  The borders of Azambia are heavily guarded.  To the outside world, Azambia is seen as a prospering nation, while inside the nation it is a place completely ruled by the Witch Doctor and his minions.

By and large, aside from a culture of government corruption, the problems that are faced by Azerbaijan are regional. Ethnic Armenian secessionists are supported by Armenia. And the Naxcivan portion of Azerjaiban is physically seperated from the rest of the country by Armenia. Oil rights in the Caspian sea are contested between Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Iran. The other major problem of this small natin is the illegal cultivation of marijuana and opium destined primarily for former Soviet nations.

The superhero team of Div and Uzan have been operating in the country for several years now. They fight crime and have generally stayed away from state officials who wish to bring them under the wing of the government. Young children seem to idolize them in the way that children in other countries idolize sports figures or superheroes.

An uber calling himself Domino has steadily become a major player in the illegal human and drug trafficking trades. As he freely kills anyone who stands in his way he is wanted by American and International law enforcement agencies. In addition, the islands are popular locales for infestation by the School and Deep6. Sanction has confronted all of these entities in the Bahamas several times over the past two decades.

In general, the Five Pillars are deemed to be the superheroes of Bahrain (as well as other Arab nations of the region). X-ray is an aspiring hero who has been mentored by Pear of the Five Pillars. This powerful young uber has been seen fighting crime from time-to-time.

The major superhuman activity here is the Zodiac Agency. The government of Barbados has it listed as a Security Consultation Company although most law enforcement agencies consider Zodiac to be more than a bunch of security consultants. As long as they pay their taxes, it is unlikely that the government will interfere with their endeavors.

There is a large degree of political and social unrest. The president, Lukashenko, rules dictatorially in the Soviet style. Recently he, with the support of ethnic Russians and former Communists, is attempting to form a closer union with Russia. Many others desire to keep Belarus separate.

The uberhuman known as White Russian has at times been considered an enemy of the state, but has been pardoned by both Belarus and Russia. Still, both are closely monitoring him as he has a tendency towards violence.

One of the major areas of concern is the synthetic drug industry which both creates drugs such as ecstasy and provides chemicals for cocaine processing. Drug trafficking and money laundering also plague the law enforcement organizations. The mad inventor known as Le Homme Jouet (the Toy Man) has also been an occasional thorn-in-the-side as he creates dangerous and destructive weapons that look like childrens toys.

There is reason for hope, however. Tourism (especially eco-tourism) and other industries are helping the economy. At the same time, The Caribbean Crew, a superhero team of Brain Coral, Lamprey, and Reef, have been helping to establish law both in Belize and in other Caribbean countries.

While becoming somewhat politically stable, this nation faces many challenges economically and internationally. Although inflation has become under control, the infrastructure needs development, and thus much of the economy remains agricultural with a large degree of subsistence farming. Border disputes with most of its neighbors plagues the government as does a small degree of narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

Recently a team of superheroes known as the Rada Team has based itself in Porto-Novo. This team, consisting of the supernatural being Yemanja and her allies Agwe, Baka, Dambala, Ezili, and Ogun, has served as a force of stability both for Benin and for the region.

While the enlarged and somewhat aggressive India has looked at securing some of its energy needs through annexation of Bhutan, there have been nothing more than clandestine information gathering raids. Members of the Assembly have been seen by a very small number of Bhutanese, and these have just fueled the rumours. The mystic martial artist, Thunder Dragon, has been outspoken on this matter - especially after the annexations of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh - proclaiming that Bhutan is for the Bhutanese and not for India.

Still much remains to be seen regarding the new regime's aggressive agenda. Attempts to eliminate cocaine production has met with protests as many of the farmers depend on it as their livelihood. While the general economy has grown, corruption still stands as a major barrier.

La Paz serves as the local headquarters of the International House of Crime and its South American operative, Vinchuca. It is also the original playground for the superthief, Saeta Rojo. Both are on the government's top ten most wanted. No superhero team calls Bolivia home, but the Southern Knights have occasionally helped with big threats.

During the Communist regime era, ethnic tensions were repressed and left to fester. In the mid 1990s ethnic civil warfare errupted among Serbs, Croats, and Bosniak Muslims. This was exacerbated by aid sent to the factions by other former Yugoslav states. In 1996, an international peacekeeping force finally put a halt to the war which involved instances of genocide on all sides. The populace suffered severely from this war and still bears the scars. Approximately 300,000 of its people remain internally displaced. The economic recovery has been slow, but steady.

During the ethnic wars of the mid 1990s, each side made use of superhumans, primarily as assassins. In the end, the Serb known as Partisan assassinated the Croat's River Rush and the Muslim's Ottoman Moon. Partisan is currently known to be a member of the mercenary uberteam known as T.I.T.A.N. Another uberhuman, the psychotic Doctor Kojic, has also emerged during the war but seems to align himself with nobody.

Despite being politically and economically stable, there are two problems that plague this country. The high level of unemployment has led to a large degree of poverty in this nation. Also, there is an extremely high rate of AIDS which is partially offset by having one of the most progressive AIDS health programs on the continent.

The Tsholofelo family, known as advocates for the people of Botswana and superheroes, has expanded its ambitions for a safe, healthy, and prosperous Africa. They led the Nairobi Conference which led to the formation of Africa Force. Five teams were created to safeguard the people of the twenty countries that ratified the pact. Africa Force Five, led by the Tsholofelo family is based in Gaborone, Botswana.

Several of its borders with neighboring nations are still being negotiated. It is in these regions where many illicit activities occur including narcotics trafficking, illegal weapons distribution, and funding for extremist organizations.

The city of Rio de Janeiro suffered substantially from superhuman activity, being destroyed during a battle between Professor Quake and an ancient god. Hence politicians and law enforcement officials are wary of and like to keep a close eye on paranormal activities within the country. Several powerful superhuman groups have been known to operate in Brazil including the Southern Knights, Southern Cross International, Gauntlet, and the more mysterious Emerald Crane.

The Sultanate has close ties with the United Kingdom and Singapore. A battalion of Gurkhas remains in the only East Asian British base. A Singaporean training base also is present in Brunei. Economically, this oil-rich nation trades primarily with Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. The entire economy is based almost entirely on petroleum and natural gas exports and imports of manufactured goods.

Superhuman teams from Malaysia and Singapore have occationally operated in Brunei. There was also a single incident with the Chinese Immortals superteam. The new superhero Luwalhati has been a recent presence in the country and has, to some extent affected the criminal underworld operations in Brunei of Evol Khan.

While the Bulgarian government has not completely cleaned up government corruption and organized crime issues, it has significantly improved. Furthermore, since moving to a market economy, there has been steady growth with textiles and mining serving as the major industries.

In general, there has been little superhuman activity in this country. The cyborg, Siege, after a brief fit of rage destroying two buildings in Sofia, is rarely seen in Bulgaria having joined the mercenary group T.I.T.A.N. The cardmaster, Besnik Boiko has been known to help out here and there, but he is primarily a wanderer.

Africa Force Four, the pride of Burkina Faso and most of West Africa, was recently destroyed by the Sons of Set. The sole survivors in the AF4 headquarters in Ouagadougou vowed to keep the team alive. These three, Shaft, Monique Diallo, and Dr. Blaise Salembere have kept the peace for the past months despite their moderate power level. For significant threats, they are assisted by Africa Force 1 based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Burma has had tensions with Communist China, India, and Thailand. Currently, tensions with India and Thailand are regarding rebel factions. Water rights issues cause tension with China. Narcotics production and trafficking (especially opium) are another major international sore point for this country.

As part of its effort to clamp down on dissidents, the government has established a Superhuman Justice Battalion whose main task is to apprehend any uber or other superhuman within its borders. If apprehension is not a feasible option, this task force is allowed to use lethal force. S.A.G.E. estimates that approximately 14 superhumans have been executed and an equal number were slain; the Burmese military is believed to have at least four superhumans imprisoned as well. A single superhuman, known as Lotus, is believed to be in hiding deep within the jungle near the border with Laos and Thailand.

The general lack of good natural resources and the control of the coffee trade by the Tutsi minority has inflamed the ethnic tension. The economy is further hampered by high poverty, poor education, and a weak government.

The uberhumans of Burundi have all been slain. The single Tutsi uberhuman died in a battle with two Hutu uberhumans. Those two and three others of the Hutu were killed by Tutsi death squads. A single spirit-animal-man known as Chui Uramali now hunts in both Burundi and Rwanda.

Internationally, Cambodia is recognized as a major producer of marijuana and opium as well as other narcotics. Loose controls on financial institutions and porous borders facilitate money laundering as well. Minor issues are reason for slight tension with Thailand and Vietnam.

Superhuman activity is fairly limited in Cambodia. A respected uber known as Elder Sunrise has been helping ubers to lead relatively normal lives. There are rumours of a resurgence of the Khmer Rouge led by an uber known as The Collective and supported by two others known as Counter-Progress and the Killing Field. But, the majority of superhuman activity is at the S.A.G.E. base hidden under the ruins of Angkor Wat.

In addition to the now minor border disputes and the general crime problems due to unemployment, there has been a surge in smuggling operations out of Cameroon. Once the home of the Ondoa family operations, this is now dominated by the Sunset Cartel which does business throughout West Africa as well as certain ports in the Americas. The Sunset Cartel membership of the Egyptian cult snake dancer known as Uadjet has led S.A.G.E. to believe that there is a connection with the Sons of Set.

This is a very stable country, but with problems that are typical of developed nations. Political lobbying groups pressure the government with their agenda. Urban crime is persistent. The longstanding Quebec separatists have been less active in recent years.

Peace in Canada has been kept by local law enforcement, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and The Canadian Shield team of superheroes. In recent years, the Canadian Shield was disbanded, and restarted again. In addition, it is rumored that the government also maintains a set of black ops agents code named X, Y, and Z. There are also a number of villainous uberhumans and superhumans including the robot horde of Iron Maiden.

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In 1997, Communist China underwent a series of changes to make them more appealing to the West. While more freedoms were allowed, the Communist Party retained tight control on critical political and strategic rules, places, and equipment. The first rank government team, the Immortals, were completely changed and is now the superhero part of China's more friendly face. At the same time, the Party created a secret team, known as the Gang of Five, which carries out clandestine operations and keeps the other superhero teams from doing anything that would adversely affect the Party. Snake, a member of the Immortals, is also Red Censor of the Gang of Five and thus serves as a direct means of monitoring them.

In the recent past, Communist China has had border wars with nearly all neighboring countries. Chinese superhero teams have had conflict with teams from India, Russia, the Republic of China, Vietnam, and Japan.

Within the forests of China is the School of the Crimson Spider Lin Kuei, a clan of martial artist/assassins. From here they accept assassination contracts worldwide. The most feared of their assassins, Shadowspinner, is an evil 'twin' of Dog of the Immortals, and desires to eliminate him.

Continually plagued by problems stemming from the drug cartels, this country is strewn with violence. Terrorist groups, drug cartels, and paramilitaries vie for control of rural territory and the drug trade. The government has recently been stepping up military activities against all of these. Currently, the tide is in the favor of the cartels who have recruited a trio of superhumans, Tres Gamberros: Ladrillo Rojo, Veneno de la Arana, and Arma Anaranjado.

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Due to the warfare, the DRC's industry and infrastructure has been severely hurt. In the past few years, there has been a slow but steady improvement. The mining and mineral processing industries provide most of the current economy, with most exports going to Belgium, the United States, Azambi, and China. Imports of manufactured goods and equipment are primarily from South Africa, Belgium, and Azambia. Problems with corruption still exists which hamper infrastructure development and industrial exploration.

This country is within the zone protected by Africa Force One, who has been called upon several times to counter the Witch Doctor and the Hunt. In addition, the uberhuman mercenary known as Congo operates out of the jungles of this country. He has no master, but strives to destabilize nearby countries so that he will be gainfully and expensively employed by warlords.

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The Cubans report all superhuman incidences to their political apparatchiks and any children that show any sort of ability are brought to Fidel. The weaker of these are placed in the tax collection department, the stronger are cultivated in Equipo de los Fidel. Currently, this team includes Arenador, Boxeador, and Resbalador. Their major task is to capture violent criminals for placement on refugee ships that attempt to escape to the United States. In addition to serving as Cuba's superteam, they also participate in Cuba's boxing and baseball teams.

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The Dominican Republic has long been a major drug trafficking point for narcotics traveling in a wide number of directions. Money laundering also has been problematic. The superhero, Cacique, has been 'cleaning up' the city of Santo Domingo, but has a lot of work still ahead.

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Because of the violence and lack of stable, beneficial government, this is the poorest nation in the Americas. The majority of the economy is subsistence agriculture and foreign aid (which is inconsistent due to the lack of a Haitian government). Inflation, unemployment, poverty, lack of investment, and a severe AIDS epidemic are the direct and obvious results.

The international community has been lulled after initial alarm at the transfer of Hong Kong. But, with ownership by Communist China, it is difficult to know what to expect. Law enforcement under the regime has been stricter than before, but more susceptible to corruption. Thus, drug trafficking still remains one of major problems in Hong Kong.

The Immortals and Gang of Five have both carried out operations in Hong Kong. In addition, the city is home to at least three tongs, two major kung fu schools, and one group of uber mercenaries. The hero, Freedom, once a prominent public member of the now defunct Harbor Heroes, now works as a vigilante still protecting the people of Hong Kong as well as espousing democratic ideals.