The Republic of Surd is a gargantuan, genial nation, ruled by Ruben Sierra with a fair hand, and notable for its museums and concert halls, keen interest in outer space, and irreverence towards religion. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 14.269 billion Surds are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whomever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.

The large, liberal, socially-minded, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Fentanes. The income tax rate is 100%.

The frighteningly efficient Surdic economy, worth a remarkable 5,257 trillion Fioris 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 led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Arms Manufacturing. Average income is an amazing 368,473 Fioris, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Fixing attendance at women's matches is a matter of "when they go low, we go high... funding", students learn how to disarm mines before understanding basic arithmetic, citizens can only enjoy the splendor of the natural world in designated 'Majesty Appreciation' zones, and from the highest mountain to the deepest cave - one can always count on finding a good cell signal in Surd. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Surd's national animal is the Robin, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Surd is ranked 276^th in the world and 11^th in Lazarus for Lowest Crime Rates, with 228 law-abiding acts per hour.