The Republic of Arlequint Academy is a tiny, socially progressive nation, remarkable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, complete absence of social welfare, and spontaneously combusting cars. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 8 million Arlequint Academyians 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 minute, liberal, pro-business government, or what there is of one, is dominated by the Department of Defense, with Education also on the agenda, while International Aid and Spirituality aren't funded at all. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 4.8%.

The strong Arlequint Academyian economy, worth 492 billion kronor a year, is driven almost entirely by the private sector, which is broadly diversified and led by the Uranium Mining industry, with major contributions from Beef-Based Agriculture, Book Publishing, and Information Technology. Average income is 61,616 kronor, but there is a vast disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 397,121 per year while the poor average 3,862, a ratio of 102 to 1.

Scientists regularly clone human beings for research purposes, members of the government all have oddly similar anecdotes about their childhoods, the latest Harry Potter book is a bestseller, and clowns are being rounded up and admitted to mental institutions. Crime is a serious problem, probably because of the absence of a police force. Arlequint Academy's national animal is the squirrel, which can occasionally be seen sifting through garbage in the nation's cities.

Arlequint Academy is ranked 241,379^th in the world and 3^rd in Asterisk for Most Cultured, scoring 64 on the Snufflebottom-Wiggendum Pentatonic Scale.