The United Duchy of Santa Marana is a titanic, safe nation, ruled by Giovanni I with an iron fist, and renowned for its infamous sell-swords, compulsory military service, and soft-spoken computers. The hard-nosed, cynical, devout population of 10.918 billion Maranese are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

The medium-sized, corrupt, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Education, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Venitana. The average income tax rate is 60.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The all-consuming Maranese economy, worth a remarkable 1,135 trillion meteris a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is fairly diversified, is led by the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Door-to-door Insurance Sales, and Basket Weaving. Average income is an impressive 104,020 meteris, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.1 times as much as the poorest.

All artwork is carefully screened for offensive material, careless Maxémon Trainers have been the cause of numerous search and rescue operations, executions are marked by quiet dignity and maybe a final round or two of whist, and the government is more interested in identifying problems than fixing them. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Santa Marana's national animal is the The White Lined Fox, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Vegemite Worship.

Santa Marana is ranked 33,554^th in the world and 43^rd in Aesica for Highest Poor Incomes, with 70,784.79 Standard Monetary Units.