The Confederated Corporations of Balante is a colossal, cultured nation, ruled by the Board with an even hand, and renowned for its free-roaming dinosaurs, ubiquitous missile silos, and absence of drug laws. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 6.326 billion Balanteans enjoy extensive civil freedoms, particularly in social issues, while business tends to be more regulated.

The medium-sized, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Education, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Laplace Ring. The average income tax rate is 50.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Balantean economy, worth 934 trillion thalers a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Retail, and Book Publishing. Black market activity is rampant. Average income is an impressive 147,673 thalers, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.0 times as much as the poorest.

Teams of painters are converting road signs from horse lengths to kilometers, wealthy pranksters dump refuse on unsuspecting citizens from up high, the seats at the back of the parliament are reserved for indigenous ministers, and the most ambitious parents buy a dozen lottery scratch-cards each week for their kids. Crime is totally unknown. Balante's national animal is the anaconda, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its national religion is NULL.

Balante is ranked 28,333^rd in the world and 166^th in Europe for Most Corrupt Governments, with 76.12 kickbacks per hour.