The United Socialist States of Span is a gargantuan, cultured nation, ruled by M Shobacus Maz with a fair hand, and notable for its hatred of cheese, punitive income tax rates, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful, devout population of 35.612 billion Spanners hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The relatively small, liberal government juggles the competing demands of Education, Environment, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Maz. The average income tax rate is 77.6%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The Spanner economy, worth a remarkable 7,328 trillion spannies a year, is highly specialized and led by the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Tourism and Trout Farming. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an amazing 205,795 spannies, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The nation's diplomats shake hands with those whose hands are drenched in the blood of innocents, older citizens lament over the loss of law and order, the leading national news source is 'my cousin Billy-Bob on MyFace', and politicians preface their speeches with a declaration that any resemblance to speeches given by individuals living or dead is purely coincidental. Crime is totally unknown. Span's national animal is the donkey, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Span is ranked 160,849^th in the world and 8,158^th in The North Pacific for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -62.89 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.