The Lafari in Ratterra of The Holy Rat is a colossal, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Acting Governor David Mimberly with an iron fist, and renowned for its public floggings, parental licensing program, and lack of airports. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless, devout population of 5.137 billion Lafarians are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

The enormous, corrupt, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Spirituality. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Ratome. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 87.7%.

The frighteningly efficient Lafarian economy, worth 743 trillion Lafari Zaids a year, is quite specialized and mostly made up of the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Beef-Based Agriculture, Woodchip Exports, and Furniture Restoration. Black market activity is rampant. Average income is an impressive 144,807 Lafari Zaids, with the richest citizens earning 8.1 times as much as the poorest.

The consent form for routine blood pressure measurement has been nominated for the 'Novel Of The Year' award, criminals are thrown to the Rats to repay their debt to society, citizens are forbidden from leaving the country, and denied drugs and entertainment the nation's youth are taking to petty crime to alleviate their boredom. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. The Holy Rat's national animal is the Rat, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Secular.

The Holy Rat is ranked 205,106^th in the world and 3,423^rd in The East Pacific for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -2.05 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.