The Republic of Izern 243 is a huge, safe nation, renowned for its barren, inhospitable landscape, smutty television, and frequent executions. The hard-nosed, devout population of 802 million Izern 243ians 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, moralistic government prioritizes Law & Order, with Defense, Administration, and Industry also on the agenda, while Environment and Welfare are ignored. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 42.4%.

The strong Izern 243ian economy, worth 48.3 trillion izerns a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Woodchip Exports industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Arms Manufacturing, and Basket Weaving. Black market activity is frequent. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 60,250 izerns, with the richest citizens earning 9.5 times as much as the poorest.

Nothing gets the party jumping like Leader specifying how high, frequent fliers are obliged to submit to invasive security procedures by government security, Leader has just been declared ruler of Izern 243 in an international press conference, and most believe it doesn't hurt to embrace free trade. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Izern 243's national animal is the izern, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Izern 243 is ranked 288,135^th in the world and 835^th in Izern for Most Compassionate Citizens, scoring 34.68 on the Kitten Softness Rating.