The Kingdom of Vertruse is a huge, cultured nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service, keen interest in outer space, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, cynical population of 547 million Vertrusians are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The large, corrupt, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Administration, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Oswick. The average income tax rate is 62.5%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The all-consuming Vertrusian economy, worth 55.0 trillion Gold Sterlings a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Tourism, and Beef-Based Agriculture. Black market activity is frequent. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 100,491 Gold Sterlings, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The intelligence community is playing 4-D chess with an imaginary spy network, using "inspect element" is grounds for espionage charges, frequent fliers are obliged to submit to invasive security procedures by government security, and a cyber-war between file sharers and the music industry formats hard drives across the country. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Vertruse's national animal is the Wolf, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Vertruse is ranked 247,310^th in the world and 4,650^th in the South Pacific for Most Cheerful Citizens, with 46.16 Percentage Of Water Glasses Perceived Half-Full.