The Federalist Republic of Torkeland is a huge, cultured nation, notable for its national health service, frequent executions, and pith helmet sales. The hard-nosed, devout population of 609 million Torkes 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 medium-sized, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Defense, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Lyston. The average income tax rate is 52.0%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Torkish economy, worth 70.2 trillion Pengers a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a large, well-organized, broadly diversified black market in Beef-Based Agriculture, Arms Manufacturing, Tourism, and Information Technology. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is an impressive 115,206 Pengers, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Kindergartners love the free balloons that their schools give them, third world countries are rich in "I Love Lyston" t-shirts, tradesmen will knock 10% off their fees if customers pay cash, and newspapers are celebrating Leader saving over a million cats from trees. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Torkeland's national animal is the Golden Eagle, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Torkeland is ranked 46,112^th in the world and 13^th in Mitteleuropa for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 158.45 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.