The Federal Republic of The Highland Union is a huge, efficient nation, remarkable for its daily referendums, devotion to social welfare, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, democratic population of 281 million Highlanders hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Welfare, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Warwick. The average income tax rate is 30.9%.

The thriving Highlandic economy, worth 23.7 trillion dollars a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Retail, and Beef-Based Agriculture. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 84,386 dollars, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.7 times as much as the poorest.

The government is funding experimental battery technology while the power grid continues to crumble, elderly prisoners with severe dementia are reminded hourly that they are evil people by helpful nurse-wardens, cold medicines curiously become cheaper when government officials sneeze, and eerie glow-in-the-dark cornfields give farmlands an uncanny appearance. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. The Highland Union's national animal is the gryphon, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

The Highland Union is ranked 136,482^nd in the world and 5,737^th in The North Pacific for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring 345.71 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.