The Great Northern Nation of Empire of Beldemark is a massive, cultured nation, ruled by William Hartford with an even hand, and remarkable for its smutty television, anti-smoking policies, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed population of 2.299 billion Beldemarkians 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 large, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Education, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Fviserwinterland. The average income tax rate is 80.3%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Beldemarkian economy, worth 303 trillion Marlics a year, is quite specialized and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Book Publishing, and Tourism. Average income is an impressive 132,153 Marlics, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Police are trained in using their steel-capped boots as a tool of law enforcement, there's often a little nagging voice suggesting that parents aren't keeping their kids safe, schoolboys trained in chivalry are encouraged to duel other boys for a maiden's hand, and reporters who negatively comment on politicians' haircuts are cut from the news. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Empire of Beldemark's national animal is the Arctic Bear, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Deusism.

Empire of Beldemark is ranked 59,807^th in the world and 674^th in the Pacific for Highest Economic Output, with 303 trillion Standard Monetary Units.