The University of Vanguard University is a huge, socially progressive nation, remarkable for its spontaneously combusting cars. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 851 million Vanguardians live in a state of perpetual fear, as a complete breakdown of social order has led to the rise of order through biker gangs.

The tiny, pro-business, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Defense, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Costa Mesa. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 7.2%.

The strong Vanguardian economy, worth 43.0 trillion dollars a year, is driven almost entirely by the private sector, which is broadly diversified and led by the Beef-Based Agriculture industry, with major contributions from Furniture Restoration, Pizza Delivery, and Basket Weaving. Average income is 50,548 dollars, but there is an enormous disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 295,088 per year while the poor average 4,074, a ratio of 72.4 to 1.

The latest Harry Potter book is a bestseller, organ donation rates are among the lowest in the region, remote-control hang-gliding scarecrows patrol the skies to keep songbirds from leaving the nation's borders, and Vanguard University has designated Costa Mesa as its capital city. Crime is a serious problem, with the police force struggling against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Vanguard University's national animal is the lion.

Vanguard University is ranked 61,162^nd in the world and 85^th in California Colleges and Universities for Largest Basket Weaving Sector, scoring 4,349.96 on the Hickory Productivity Index.