The People's Republic of Arbalest is a huge, environmentally stunning nation, renowned for its ban on automobiles, free-roaming dinosaurs, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate population of 597 million Arbalestians enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The large, liberal, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Defense. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of New Rio. The average income tax rate is 77.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The strong Arbalestian economy, worth 53.2 trillion Credits 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 Tourism, Arms Manufacturing, and Book Publishing. Average income is 89,040 Credits, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The bonfire of the old paper records can be seen for miles around New Rio, it is illegal to distribute Girl Guide Cookies without an advanced food hygiene diploma, glamping Arbalestians won't sleep in a tent that doesn't include a Jacuzzi, and anti-government political posters adorn every building like wallpaper. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Arbalest's national animal is the Bearded vulture, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Arbalest is ranked 261,326^th in the world and 322^nd in The Khamen Union for Largest Automobile Manufacturing Sector, scoring -5.66 on the Henry Ford Productivity Index.