The Science Kingdom of Pterygon is a mammoth, safe nation, ruled by Grace Zsoldos Kirstein with an even hand, and remarkable for its anti-smoking policies, frequent executions, and ubiquitous missile silos. The hard-nosed, humorless population of 5.734 billion terries 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 large, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Marley. The average income tax rate is 74.2%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Pterygonian economy, worth 576 trillion Dragoes a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is fairly diversified, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Book Publishing, Arms Manufacturing, and Trout Farming. Average income is an impressive 100,456 Dragoes, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.6 times as much as the poorest.

Five-year-olds who refuse to line up on command get gold stars, public incontinence is a growing problem amongst the nation's women, all facts are created equal, and scientists take credit every time it rains in Talonia. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Pterygon's national animal is the fox, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its national religion is Hail mary.

Pterygon is ranked 60,536^th in the world and 124^th in Talonia for Most Eco-Friendly Governments, scoring 1,680.09 on the Dolphin Recycling Awareness Index.