The Principality of Ratlan is a massive, orderly nation, notable for its keen interest in outer space, punitive income tax rates, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate, cynical, devout population of 2.671 billion Ratlanians are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The enormous, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Talon. The average income tax rate is 81.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Ratlanian economy, worth 290 trillion Dels a year, is quite specialized and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Book Publishing. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 108,779 Dels, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.2 times as much as the poorest.

The government has instituted 'traveller reservations' across the country, there is something rotten in the state of Ratlan, loudmouthed journalists are given the chop, and libraries are now installed with jacuzzis and mini-bars. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ratlan's national animal is the Eagle, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies, and its national religion is The church of Wesson.

Ratlan is ranked 20,349^th in the world and 414^th in The East Pacific for Most Advanced Public Education, scoring 7,973.61 on the Edu-tellignce® Test Score.