The District of Meldrum is a gargantuan, efficient nation, ruled by Liard with an even hand, and remarkable for its punitive income tax rates, suspicion of poets, and devotion to social welfare. The hard-nosed, hard-working population of 48.797 billion Bayains have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The enormous government juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Education, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of District City. The average income tax rate is 68.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The powerhouse Meldrumian economy, worth a remarkable 2,579 trillion aurums a year, is quite specialized and dominated by the Retail industry, with significant contributions from Woodchip Exports, Basket Weaving, and Information Technology. Average income is 52,855 aurums, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.4 times as much as the poorest.

Doctors prescribe medicines but they rarely dispense hope or compassion, women who walk into the ladies' changing room are accused of being Peeping Toms, education is transforming people into first-rate snobs, and the Laws of War require "enthusiastic consent" (Meldrum has found 2 easter eggs). Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Meldrum's national animal is the bovina, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Meldrum is ranked 127,409^th in the world and 1^st in Meldrum for Largest Black Market, with 1.58 trillion Standard Monetary Units.