The Armed States of Skalliad is a huge, socially progressive nation, ruled by the 27th President William Shepard with a fair hand, and renowned for its national health service, frequent executions, and compulsory gun ownership. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 898 million Skalliadians 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, corrupt, outspoken government prioritizes Defense, although Industry, Administration, and Healthcare are also considered important, while Spirituality and International Aid receive no funds. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Skallia. The average income tax rate is 68.2%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Skalliadian economy, worth 158 trillion AS dollars a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Tourism, and Book Publishing. Black market activity is rampant. Average income is an impressive 176,038 AS dollars, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Paper and ink publications are subsidised by the government to keep them in the black, if there's something strange in your neighborhood you call Brancaland, the nation's counterintelligence budget is all up in the air, and the government props up questionable pizza establishments in the name of health. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Skalliad's national animal is the Bald Eagle, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Skalliad is ranked 12,368^th in the world and 214^th in Europe for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 365.58 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.