The Dictatorship of Vertigon is a large, orderly nation, remarkable for its frequent executions, complete lack of prisons, and compulsory military service. The hard-nosed, cynical population of 107 million Vertigonioux 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 large, moralistic, socially-minded, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Administration. The average income tax rate is 49.8%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but sluggish Vertigonioux economy, worth 2.29 trillion Seaglasses a year, is led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Trout Farming, and Beef-Based Agriculture. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 21,367 Seaglasses, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Physics lessons mostly involve talking about emotional management techniques, weapons produced by newly nationalized armaments factories have been found to contain sawdust instead of gunpowder, red rinses are frequently applied to grey hair, and hospitals have to sell their computers on vBay in order to afford the ransomware decryption payments. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Vertigon's national animal is the Dolphin, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans.

Vertigon is ranked 114,885^th in the world and 92^nd in Eladria for Most Eco-Friendly Governments, scoring 702.42 on the Dolphin Recycling Awareness Index.