The Republic of January 4th is a very large, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its closed borders, compulsory military service, and ritual sacrifices. The hard-nosed, cynical, devout population of 206 million January 4thians 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 enormous, moralistic, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Spirituality, Law & Order, and Education. The average income tax rate is 68.3%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but sluggish January 4thian economy, worth 3.58 trillion Cards a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector is led by the Furniture Restoration industry, with significant contributions from Uranium Mining, Automobile Manufacturing, and Soda Sales. Average income is 17,389 Cards, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The saying "when pigs fly" has been changed to "when the lights work", international tensions are high as January 4th threatens any government with the audacity to arrest its citizens, citizens wishing to be parents must undertake a series of gruelling tests to evaluate their capabilities, and black tea is only available on the black market. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. January 4th's national animal is the Card, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

January 4th is ranked 230,053^rd in the world and 30^th in Calendar for Largest Trout Fishing Sector, scoring -2 on the Nemo Depletion Efficiency Index.