The Grand Principality of Hard Coast is a colossal, safe nation, ruled by Prince Regent Yendys Ormstein with a fair hand, and renowned for its museums and concert halls, compulsory military service, and rampant corporate plagiarism. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic, devout population of 8.537 billion Hard Coastites enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

The medium-sized, corrupt, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Industry, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Imperi Hard Coast. The average income tax rate is 57.4%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Hard Coastian economy, worth 918 trillion Dragoons a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Retail industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Arms Manufacturing, and Tourism. Black market activity is frequent. Average income is an impressive 107,574 Dragoons, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.3 times as much as the poorest.

Films are funded in accordance with the volume of tears shed when reading the screenplay, most pop videos prominently feature the Hard Coastian flag, condos feature wall-mounted cages containing endangered animals, and the 3rd Airborne Beekeepers are the most feared regiment in the Hard Coastian military. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Hard Coast's national animal is the Red Claw Crab, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Bahamutism and Drulkarism.

Hard Coast is ranked 68,710^th in the world and 16^th in St Abbaddon for Lowest Crime Rates, with 70.27 law-abiding acts per hour.