The People's Republic of Marza is a very large, genial nation, remarkable for its daily referendums, irreverence towards religion, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, democratic population of 487 million Marzans enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The enormous, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Education, and Welfare. The average income tax rate is 67.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but sluggish Marzan economy, worth 10.1 trillion lire a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Beef-Based Agriculture industry, with significant contributions from Pizza Delivery, Basket Weaving, and Cheese Exports. Average income is 20,637 lire, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Concerned environmentalists wipe away their tears with tissues sourced from Tasmanian old-growth redwoods, the Violetist community celebrates bombshells being dropped on Marza, vital intelligence-gathering activities are put on hold as agents return home for seduction training and advanced poker instruction, and major cities are suffering under water rationing. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Marza's national animal is the ladybug, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Marza is ranked 21,042^nd in the world and 377^th in The Leftist Assembly for Nicest Citizens, with 22.56 average smiles per day.