In a state of the nation address, a ruling body often cites important achievements and statistics that are of import to the people of that particular nation. The virtual world of Vana'diel is no different, as PlayOnline recently released a "state of the world" report for Final Fantasy XI (PC, Xbox 360, PS2), which players in the know would more commonly call the Eighth Vana'diel Census.

This year's census is packed with tons of information on various aspects of life in Vana'diel. From the distribution of races in the game to the types of faces people pick out, the folks at PlayOnline really outdid themselves with the amount of information contained in the census.

While you're free to check out the census in full over at the source linked below, we think players might find the most interesting information in the "Your Voice" section of the census. It basically outlines what players have been reporting to Game Masters and the Special Task Force, even going so far as to break up the numbers for emails sent to the STF.

That being said, if you're a conscientious gamer who has some free time and is eager to learn more about the virtual world you play in, then you'll find something to like about the Eighth Vana'diel Census.