The Incorporated States of Siphon is a very large, efficient nation, notable for its compulsory military service, irreverence towards religion, and absence of drug laws. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 451 million Sipholiates 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 government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Capital District 0. The average income tax rate is 34.0%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Siphonian economy, worth 48.6 trillion wagecreds a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Retail, and Book Publishing. Average income is an impressive 107,703 wagecreds, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.7 times as much as the poorest.

Libraries are now installed with jacuzzis and mini-bars, a nickname of "Doctor Death" probably indicates a decorated war hero, new urban roads are threatening city parks, and creating cardboard imitations of missiles is a new top-secret military project. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Siphon's national animal is the bulls-eyed cockatoo, which can occasionally be seen sifting through garbage in the nation's cities.

Siphon is ranked 2,739^th in the world and 4^th in Horizon for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring 7,487.41 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.