The Empire of Laurendon is a colossal, genial nation, ruled by Chancellor Philippa Lawson with a fair hand, and remarkable for its national health service, pith helmet sales, and frequent executions. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic, cheerful population of 8.92 billion Laurendonians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Healthcare, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Carsen. The average income tax rate is 52.2%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Laurendonian economy, worth a remarkable 1,664 trillion Laurons a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Retail, Information Technology, and Book Publishing. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 186,596 Laurons, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.1 times as much as the poorest.

Many marriages go virtually unconsummated, the government has cut taxes in the face of widespread tax evasion, the government extracts trade concessions from poor nations in exchange for humanitarian aid, and the people's love for Chancellor Philippa Lawson is little more than self-preservation. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Laurendon's national animal is the Lion, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Christianity.

Laurendon is ranked 9,312^th in the world and 239^th in The North Pacific for Highest Disposable Incomes, with 89,193.04 Standard Monetary Units.