The Federal Democratic Republic of Mapperdonia is a colossal, socially progressive nation, renowned for its soft-spoken computers, keen interest in outer space, and rampant corporate plagiarism. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 8.663 billion Mapperdons hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Ortelius. The average income tax rate is 99.8%.

The frighteningly efficient Mapperdonian economy, worth a remarkable 2,705 trillion Mapperdon dollars a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Soda Sales. Average income is an amazing 312,276 Mapperdon dollars, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The family summer vacation has become a thing of the past following the introduction of the year-round school year, law schools are hurrying to teach the "prank defense" to their students, stolen Reuben sandwiches are met with detailed and thorough police investigations, and high school band practice is often crashed by technicolor-clad ravers. Crime is totally unknown. Mapperdonia's national animal is the eagle, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Technoreligion.

Mapperdonia is ranked 5,787^th in the world and 3^rd in Equiterra for Lowest Crime Rates, with 113.04 law-abiding acts per hour.