The United States of Obsida is a mid-sized, pleasant nation, remarkable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, compulsory military service, and complete absence of social welfare. The hard-nosed, hard-working, devout population of 92 million Obsidans 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 relatively small government is primarily concerned with Spirituality, although Law & Order, Defense, and Education are also considered important, while Environment and International Aid are ignored. The average income tax rate is 11.3%.

The strong Obsidan economy, worth 5.44 trillion Cottonpeices a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Retail industry, with major contributions from Door-to-door Insurance Sales, Woodchip Exports, and Cheese Exports. Average income is 59,086 Cottonpeices, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 4.6 times as much as the poorest.

Prisons are filled with the cackles and sobs of a deranged inmate population, dubiously qualified Skandilundian barristers keep referring to laws as 'government guidelines', solid steel breastplates are in fashion amongst city drivers, and ratings for sitcom reruns are often much higher than election debates. Crime, especially youth-related, is well under control, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Obsida's national animal is the Ram, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Obsida is ranked 248,028^th in the world and 100^th in Cumberperry for Largest Manufacturing Sector, scoring 3,847.5 on the Gooback-Jerbs Productivity Index.