The Federal Republic of Vesuva is a gargantuan, socially progressive nation, ruled by Annie Flash with an even hand, and renowned for its keen interest in outer space, multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 20.534 billion Vesuvans are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

The enormous, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Changeling. The average income tax rate is 96.2%.

The frighteningly efficient Vesuvan economy, worth a remarkable 3,139 trillion Vesuvan dollars a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is mostly made up of the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism and Book Publishing. Average income is an impressive 152,910 Vesuvan dollars, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Treason is relative, parking's carefree without parking car fees, military equipment is being auctioned off to extend comatose centenarians' lives, and snap elections are called over every minor impasse. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Vesuva's national animal is the Scorpion, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Vesuva is ranked 4,351^st in the world and 221^st in The North Pacific for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 599.38 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.