The Department of Ariege is a massive, safe nation, remarkable for its pith helmet sales and stringent health and safety legislation. The democratic population of 3.46 billion Ariègeois have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Foix. The average income tax rate is 33.5%.

The large but inefficient Ariègeois economy, worth 137 trillion francs a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Tourism, Trout Farming, and Cheese Exports. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 39,844 francs, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.1 times as much as the poorest.

Leader's new political program is often mockingly called 'Capitalism with a Bigtopian face', it's illegal to be caught on tape, the government is spending millions on renovating the public transportation system, and 'Coloniser-in-Chief' has become Leader's new moniker. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ariege's national animal is the lion.

Ariege is ranked 249,813^th in the world and 64^th in Department Store for Most Extreme, scoring 10.43 on the Paul-Nader Subjective Decentrality Index.