The Allied States of Nortallius is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by President Catherine Rainges with a fair hand, and notable for its museums and concert halls, ubiquitous missile silos, and keen interest in outer space. The compassionate, democratic, devout population of 1.901 billion Nortallusians 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, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Barraday. The average income tax rate is 45.4%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Nortallusian economy, worth 197 trillion copuls a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Book Publishing industry, with significant contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Tourism. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 103,920 copuls, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The government has completely eliminated all childcare programs, the deaf are perplexed when the weather report tells them that the wind will be "bringing some rain along the Nazi ghosts", more sidewalk is dedicated to animals than people, and craps take up a lot of time. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Nortallius's national animal is the sailfish, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans.

Nortallius is ranked 56,284^th in the world and 131^st in Forest for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 166.49 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.