The Republic of Azmuth is a small, safe nation, remarkable for its frequent executions, ban on automobiles, and lack of airports. The hard-nosed population of 23 million Azmuthians are highly moralistic and fiercely conservative, in the sense that they tend to believe most things should be outlawed. People who have good jobs and work quietly at them are lauded; others are viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Education, Law & Order, and Defense. The average income tax rate is 30.1%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The Azmuthian economy, worth 876 billion Taydens a year, is led by the Furniture Restoration industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Pizza Delivery, and Woodchip Exports. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 38,122 Taydens, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.1 times as much as the poorest.

The government advises foreign diplomats to speak softly and carry a big bag of cash, death row inmates cower in fear at the phrase "one-year anniversary", all children's clothes come in only cream and off-white to prevent offense, and burial ceremonies have become as routinised as tax forms. Crime is almost non-existent, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Azmuth's national animal is the Alien, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Azmuth is ranked 203,786^th in the world and 64^th in Pax Indica for Highest Unexpected Death Rate, scoring 30.85 on the Bus Surprisal Index.