The Republic of Staela is a colossal, genial nation, ruled by Corvus Histrianium with an iron fist, and notable for its compulsory military service. The cynical, devout population of 3.548 billion Staelans are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The medium-sized, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Education, Law & Order, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Staela Proper. The average income tax rate is 41.8%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The Staelan economy, worth 182 trillion Lilies a year, is led by the Trout Farming industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Tourism, and Automobile Manufacturing. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 51,495 Lilies, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.1 times as much as the poorest.

Citizens select which government department gets their income tax Lilies each year, tax-payers are funding ever more extravagant movie projects, group photos of the members of parliament are often mistaken for family reunions, and psychiatrists bizarrely accompany Corvus Histrianium to meetings with foreign heads of state. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Staela's national animal is the Black Swan, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Sezari.

Staela is ranked 5,545^th in the world and 1^st in The Cherlands for Largest Trout Fishing Sector, scoring 10,993.62 on the Nemo Depletion Efficiency Index.