The Dominion of Bardo is a titanic, efficient nation, ruled by The Shepherd with an iron fist, and notable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, national health service, and keen interest in outer space. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless population of 13.229 billion Bardoans are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The medium-sized, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Industry, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Sanctum. The average income tax rate is 95.7%.

The frighteningly efficient Bardoan economy, worth a remarkable 5,185 trillion utopis a year, is broadly diversified and mostly comprised of black market activity, especially in Information Technology, Retail, Woodchip Exports, and Uranium Mining. Average income is an amazing 392,007 utopis, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 1,283,458 per year while the poor average 89,929, a ratio of 14.3 to 1.

Pulling weeds is seen as a threat to national security, citizens try to ignore gruesome pictures of decaying teeth printed on their soda cans, surveillance cameras are banned, and actively encouraging climate change is helping reduce winter fuel costs. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Bardo's national animal is the crystal giant, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its national religion is Second Dawn.

Bardo is ranked 329,353^rd in the world and 6^th in Alvarez for Safest, scoring 3.68 on the Bubble-Rapp Safety Rating.