The Federal Republic of Ripsylvania is a massive, genial nation, ruled by Prime Minister Gustavus with a fair hand, and renowned for its daily referendums, smutty television, and irreverence towards religion. The compassionate, democratic population of 2.563 billion Ripsylvanians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The enormous, liberal government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Breitenfeld. The average income tax rate is 87.9%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The all-consuming Ripsylvanian economy, worth 292 trillion scritches a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is highly specialized, is mostly made up of the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Trout Farming, Tourism, and Arms Manufacturing. Average income is an impressive 114,146 scritches, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The doctor has cold hands, public shaming is the bedrock of Ripsylvanian society, 'Police Academy 36' and 'Sharknados On A Plane' are vying for top spot at the box-office, and orphanages are practically giving children away. Crime is totally unknown. Ripsylvania's national animal is the Wooly Scragglemuffin, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Ripsylvania is ranked 183,169^th in the world and 6,364^th in The East Pacific for Largest Basket Weaving Sector, scoring -3.35 on the Hickory Productivity Index.