The Nine in the Afternoon of A Sudden Death is a colossal, efficient nation, renowned for its barren, inhospitable landscape, unlimited-speed roads, and complete lack of public education. The hard-working, democratic population of 2.817 billion Sudden Deathians are either ruled by a sleek, efficient government or a conglomerate of multinational corporations; it's difficult to tell which.

The minute, pro-business government, or what there is of one, is primarily concerned with Defense, with Law & Order, Healthcare, and Administration also on the agenda, while Spirituality and International Aid receive no funds. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 5.8%.

The very strong Sudden Deathian economy, worth 149 trillion catnips a year, is driven almost entirely by the private sector, which is fairly diversified and led by the Uranium Mining industry, with major contributions from Gambling, Woodchip Exports, and Book Publishing. Average income is 53,037 catnips, with the richest citizens earning 8.4 times as much as the poorest.

Travelers are subject to extensive searches if beet stains are visible on their clothing, religious organizations are being forced to leave the country or pay income taxes like everybody else, passionate nomination battles are often as intense as general elections, and cremation is compulsory for the deceased. Crime is moderate, with the police force struggling against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. A Sudden Death's national animal is the black cat, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

A Sudden Death is ranked 277,287^th in the world and 178^th in Prison for Lowest Crime Rates, with 54.15 law-abiding acts per hour.