The Dominion of Death and Ruin is a gargantuan, cultured nation, ruled by War with an even hand, and notable for its compulsory military service, ritual sacrifices, and sprawling nuclear power plants. The hard-nosed, hard-working, humorless population of 12.946 billion Death and Ruinians 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 relatively small, corrupt government is effectively ruled by the Department of Defense, with Education and Industry also on the agenda, while Welfare and Social Policy aren't funded at all. The average income tax rate is 73.6%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Death and Ruinian economy, worth a remarkable 5,128 trillion 155mm shells a year, is broadly diversified and mostly comprised of black market activity, especially in Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, Retail, and Book Publishing. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an amazing 396,162 155mm shells, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.5 times as much as the poorest.

There's no such thing as bad publicity, the military is plagued with unethical researchers, immigrant herding has become a national pastime, and men avoid even so much as looking at female colleagues. Crime is all-pervasive, perhaps because of the country's complete lack of prisons. Death and Ruin's national animal is the Lycanthrope, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Death worship.

Death and Ruin is ranked 1,397^th in the world and 41^st in Lazarus for Most Patriotic, with 109.04 flags saluted per person per day.