The Realm Past the Horizon of Merethin is a mammoth, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Iris with a fair hand, and remarkable for its conspicuous electricity pylons, anti-smoking policies, and hatred of cheese. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 5.825 billion Merethinians love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.

The enormous, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Industry, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Merethin City. The average income tax rate is 99.3%.

The frighteningly efficient Merethinian economy, worth a remarkable 1,219 trillion golden coins a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is highly specialized, is mostly made up of the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing and Tourism. Average income is an amazing 209,433 golden coins, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

In the mighty jungle the lion once again sleeps tonight, romantic sunsets are no longer interrupted by explosions and monstrous roars, the steaks are too high for ambassadors to butcher foreign relationships, and old dogs don't have to learn new tricks but they have to prove they haven't forgotten old ones. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Merethin's national animal is the axolotl, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans, and its national religion is Star Sister.

Merethin is ranked 958^th in the world and 6^th in Starlight for Most Developed, scoring 98.61 on the Human Development Index.