The State of Oestre is a gargantuan, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its complete absence of social welfare. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 22.692 billion Oestreans enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

The tiny, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Industry, and International Aid. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 8.9%.

The strong Oestrean economy, worth a remarkable 1,001 trillion betales a year, is quite specialized and led by the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Trout Farming, Gambling, and Basket Weaving. Average income is 44,138 betales, with the richest citizens earning 6.2 times as much as the poorest.

Voting is voluntary and the latest Harry Potter book is a bestseller. Crime is a problem, with the police force struggling against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Oestre's national animal is the deer, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Oestre is ranked 109,465^th in the world and 201^st in Ancient Lands for Most Cheerful Citizens, with 50 Percentage Of Water Glasses Perceived Half-Full.