The Democratic States of Haraken is a large, safe nation, remarkable for its irreverence towards religion, suspicion of poets, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, democratic population of 83 million Harakens are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

The medium-sized, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Education, and Healthcare. The average income tax rate is 40.2%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but sluggish Harakenian economy, worth 2.34 trillion Haraken Credits a year, is quite specialized and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Door-to-door Insurance Sales, Beef-Based Agriculture, and Information Technology. Black market activity is notable. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 28,157 Haraken Credits, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Postmen have been arrested in job lots for selling junk mail as home insulation, Harakens seem to be catching more chills, legal contracts aren't worth the paper they're written on, and major corporations receive tax breaks for no apparent reason. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Haraken's national animal is the phoenix, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Haraken is ranked 193,907^th in the world and 57^th in Council of Nations for Most Cheerful Citizens, with 50 Percentage Of Water Glasses Perceived Half-Full.