The Republic of -Lagene is a huge, safe nation, remarkable for its ubiquitous missile silos and keen interest in outer space. The compassionate, democratic, devout population of 498 million -Lageneans 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 large government juggles the competing demands of Education, Defense, and Welfare. The average income tax rate is 46.5%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but inefficient -Lagenean economy, worth 20.1 trillion Eunes a year, is led by the Book Publishing industry, with significant contributions from Uranium Mining, Basket Weaving, and Pizza Delivery. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 40,415 Eunes, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.2 times as much as the poorest.

Every new building project has to undergo a five-year environmental impact study before it can go ahead, citizens are encouraged to report friends, family members or co-workers who seem depressed to the government for "counselling", small children are learning a lot of new words from a teacher with Tourette Syndrome, and shoppers have literally had their hands full since plastic bags were banned. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. -Lagene's national animal is the banana slug, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

-Lagene is ranked 230,590^th in the world and 4^th in Alvaro for Largest Automobile Manufacturing Sector, scoring -5.66 on the Henry Ford Productivity Index.