The Watchfires of Elba-1 is a gargantuan, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its daily referendums, parental licensing program, and restrictive gun laws. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 25.436 billion Elba-1ians are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

The medium-sized government prioritizes Defense, although Industry, Administration, and Education are also considered important. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 32.7%.

The powerhouse Elba-1ian economy, worth a remarkable 1,948 trillion $$s a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Gambling, Tourism, and Automobile Manufacturing. Black market activity is notable. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 76,614 $$s, with the richest citizens earning 5.8 times as much as the poorest.

The statue in the Bautista Plaza has a solar panel for a hat, foreign leaders who don't applaud Leader's speeches are regarded as enemies of Elba-1, seven-year-olds debate for weeks on the merits of the Oxford comma, and Elba-1 is increasingly belligerent on the international stage. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Elba-1's national animal is the swordfish, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans.

Elba-1 is ranked 302,064^th in the world and 2^nd in Elba for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring -48.59 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.