The Royal Republic of Valtaine is a mammoth, cultured nation, ruled by Queen Alexandria II with an even hand, and notable for its national health service, punitive income tax rates, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, democratic population of 5.646 billion Valtaneans enjoy extensive civil freedoms, particularly in social issues, while business tends to be more regulated.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Avalon. The average income tax rate is 68.4%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Valtanean economy, worth 791 trillion Valtanean Crowns a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Book Publishing, and Beef-Based Agriculture. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 140,240 Valtanean Crowns, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The television adaptation of Jennifer Government is the most popular program in the nation, one man's trash is another company's tax break, the government only invests in infrastructure after a natural disaster, and the thin blue line is composed of picketing police officers demanding better pensions. Crime is totally unknown. Valtaine's national animal is the Barn Owl, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies, and its national religion is None.

Valtaine is ranked 319,480^th in the world and 658^th in Europe for Highest Unexpected Death Rate, scoring 20.79 on the Bus Surprisal Index.