The Dictatorship of Vertigon is a mid-sized, environmentally stunning nation, renowned for its compulsory military service, suspicion of poets, and stringent health and safety legislation. The cynical population of 92 million Vertigonians 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, moralistic, socially-minded, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Administration. The average income tax rate is 49.1%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but sluggish Vertigonian economy, worth 1.99 trillion Seaglasses a year, is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Beef-Based Agriculture, and Trout Farming. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 21,626 Seaglasses, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Chipped paint can see a building condemned, the alarmingly racist TV show 'Bigtopians Say the Darndest Things' is a hit, Leader's reputation is hard as nails, and both criminals and civilians are DOA. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Vertigon's national animal is the Dolphin, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans.

Vertigon is ranked 252,342^nd in the world and 174^th in Eladria for Most Cultured, scoring 63 on the Snufflebottom-Wiggendum Pentatonic Scale.