The Grand Duchy of Tarlag is a gargantuan, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Grand Duke Tarl with an even hand, and notable for its multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, daily referendums, and complete absence of social welfare. The hard-nosed, humorless population of 41.229 billion Tarlagians have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The enormous government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Environment. The average income tax rate is 91.0%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Tarlagian economy, worth a remarkable 4,270 trillion grots a year, is highly specialized and mostly made up of the Book Publishing industry, with significant contributions from Arms Manufacturing and Beef-Based Agriculture. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 103,572 grots, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Tom and Jerry cartoons have cat and mouse resolving their problems with reasoned discussion, nobody is allowed to stop the local daycare from reading Nietzsche to pre-schoolers, the nation's new Mylab space station is notorious for being the loneliest place above the planet, and puppies given out free in marketing promotions are often tossed straight into the trash. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Tarlag's national animal is the talking pony, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Tarlag is ranked 11,446^th in the world and 1^st in Mercenary Lands for Highest Food Quality, scoring 152.09 on the Meeshlin-Starr Index.