The Protectorate of BA-1 is a gargantuan, environmentally stunning nation, renowned for its keen interest in outer space, avowedly heterosexual populace, and complete absence of social welfare. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless, devout population of 28.605 billion BA-1ians 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 large, corrupt, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Industry, and Defense. The average income tax rate is 59.9%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The all-consuming BA-1ian economy, worth a remarkable 2,573 trillion $$s a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a large, well-organized, broadly diversified black market in Arms Manufacturing, Tourism, Woodchip Exports, and Furniture Restoration. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is 89,960 $$s, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Foreign 'investors' have been taking a great interest in the new secret shuttle, space shuttles regularly launch rubbish into space, the "feminist protest" defence is increasingly common for cases of armed robbery, and only lightning has a chance of striking Leader twice. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. BA-1's national animal is the Dolly Varden, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

BA-1 is ranked 82,112^th in the world and 1^st in Black Army for Largest Cheese Export Sector, scoring 3,719.15 on the Mozzarella Productivity Index.