The Armed States of Skalliad is a huge, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by the 27th President William Shepard with a fair hand, and renowned for its pith helmet sales, ubiquitous missile silos, and compulsory gun ownership. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 881 million Skalliadians enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

The medium-sized, corrupt, outspoken government prioritizes Defense, with Industry, Administration, and Education also on the agenda, while Spirituality and International Aid aren't funded at all. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Skallia. The average income tax rate is 68.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Skalliadian economy, worth 154 trillion AS dollars a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Tourism, and Book Publishing. Black market activity is rampant. Average income is an impressive 174,907 AS dollars, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Foreign leaders who don't applaud the 27th President William Shepard's speeches are regarded as enemies of Skalliad, politicians accost strangers in the street to ask their problems, 'A is for Annulment' is a popular children's song, and the nation's green cities are indeed concrete jungles. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Skalliad's national animal is the Bald Eagle, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Skalliad is ranked 181,415^th in the world and 950^th in Europe for Most Cheerful Citizens, with 50 Percentage Of Water Glasses Perceived Half-Full.