The Shadow State of Pre-Phantomism is a colossal, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Prime Minister Al-Hani with an even hand, and renowned for its frequent executions, smutty television, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, democratic, devout population of 4.436 billion Pre-Phantoms 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 government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Industry, and Defense. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Shadow Metropolis Total District. The average income tax rate is 40.9%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The powerhouse Pre-Phantomis economy, worth 355 trillion Phantomismals a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Trout Farming, Automobile Manufacturing, and Book Publishing. Black market activity is frequent. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 80,097 Phantomismals, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Antique comic book collectors are disappointed to hear that their treasures are worth exactly as little as their mothers said they were, government agents are triangulating the position of the rainbow's end for the purposes of gold acquisition, a rolling news ticker tape of disclaimers runs across the bottom of the screen on all TV shows, and farting etiquette is taught in schools. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Pre-Phantomism's national animal is the Endangered Tiger, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Islam.

Pre-Phantomism is ranked 201,227^th in the world and 48^th in Wintercrest for Smartest Citizens, with 24.6 quips per hour.