The Republic of Izern 288 is a huge, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its compulsory military service, smutty television, and stringent health and safety legislation. The quiet, industrious population of 669 million Izern 288ians 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 juggles the competing demands of Defense, Education, and Law & Order. The average income tax rate is 46.2%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The Izern 288ian economy, worth 38.5 trillion izerns a year, is quite specialized and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Cheese Exports, and Information Technology. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 57,579 izerns, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.0 times as much as the poorest.

Internet searches for the inventor of the three-wheeled steam-powered Izern 288ian weed picker are way up, the government is in utter turmoil following the recent abolishment of the tax code, the state is footing the bill for billionaires' lawyers, and the military's newest toy broadcasts Izern 288's anthem on hostile frequencies to drive enemies insane. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Izern 288's national animal is the izern, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Izern 288 is ranked 292,400^th in the world and 782^nd in Izern for Largest Gambling Industry, scoring -10.19 on the Kelly Criterion Productivity Index.