The Second Republic of New Herdon is a massive, cultured nation, ruled by Frederick Reeds with an even hand, and renowned for its barren, inhospitable landscape, frequent executions, and irreverence towards religion. The hard-nosed, hard-working, humorless population of 2.658 billion Herdonians are either ruled by a sleek, efficient government or a conglomerate of multinational corporations; it's difficult to tell which.

The tiny, corrupt, pro-business government juggles the competing demands of Industry, Defense, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of New Herdonia. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 4.2%.

The frighteningly efficient New Herdonian economy, worth 526 trillion Herdonian Dollars a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Retail industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Arms Manufacturing, and Soda Sales. Average income is an impressive 197,945 Herdonian Dollars, but there is an enormous disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 1,233,778 per year while the poor average 13,568, a ratio of 90.9 to 1.

EpiPen sales have skyrocketed, legislators must raise their hands if they want to speak, international terrorists often get their weapons supply in New Herdon, and college-level writing classes are taught by undergraduate editors of the school newspaper. Crime is totally unknown. New Herdon's national animal is the Eagle, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Capitalism.

New Herdon is ranked 9,828^th in the world and 3^rd in New Rp for Most Efficient Economies, scoring 100 on the Krugman-Greenspan Business Outlook Index.