The Democratic Republic of Laureel is a huge, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Euphemia Mortem with a fair hand, and remarkable for its national health service, compulsory military service, and irreverence towards religion. The compassionate, democratic population of 979 million Laureelians 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 Healthcare, Education, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Hadena. The average income tax rate is 37.0%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The Laureelian economy, worth 49.6 trillion Lyras a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Automobile Manufacturing, and Pizza Delivery. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 50,658 Lyras, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Government ministers have eclectic tastes in curtains, Euphemia Mortem has just been declared ruler of Laureel in an international press conference, photographers have to apply for a license to photograph Euphemia Mortem, and frat-house partying has become the national pastime. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Laureel's national animal is the Leopard Shark, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans.

Laureel is ranked 132,475^th in the world and 24^th in Saint Osmund for Most Patriotic, with 11.96 flags saluted per person per day.