The Element of Surprise is a gargantuan, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Sir Prize with a fair hand, and remarkable for its absence of drug laws and spontaneously combusting cars. The hard-working, democratic population of 27.511 billion surprises live in a state of perpetual fear, as a complete breakdown of social order has led to the rise of order through biker gangs.

The medium-sized, liberal, pro-business, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Spirituality, Public Transport, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of anywhere. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 16.5%.

The strong surprised economy, worth a remarkable 1,173 trillion shocks a year, is quite specialized and led by the Gambling industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing, Arms Manufacturing, and Trout Farming. Average income is 42,665 shocks, but there is a vast disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 290,075 per year while the poor average 2,292, a ratio of 126 to 1.

Mr Happy's Funland has just been named Surprise's new capital, Sir Prize has just been declared ruler of Surprise in an international press conference, and astonishment has been named as Surprise's national religion. Crime is a serious problem, with the police force struggling against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Surprise's national animal is the shark, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans, and its national religion is astonishment.

Surprise is ranked 233,565^th in the world and 752^nd in 10000 Islands for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 10 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.