The Terrible Swift Sword of Bengal-1 is a titanic, safe nation, remarkable for its infamous sell-swords, ubiquitous missile silos, and compulsory military service. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless, devout population of 22.885 billion Bengal-1ians are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

The medium-sized, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Industry, and Education. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 45.3%.

The frighteningly efficient Bengal-1ian economy, worth a remarkable 2,245 trillion $$s a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Trout Farming, Beef-Based Agriculture, and Cheese Exports. Black market activity is frequent. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 98,140 $$s, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 296,192 per year while the poor average 25,335, a ratio of 11.7 to 1.

The new one $$ coin also makes a handy throwing-star, the internet has been placed under government control, washing-up liquid looks and smells like baby poo, and nuclear submarines have been deployed to protect the nation's banana supply. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Bengal-1's national animal is the Death's-head Hawkmoth, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Bengal-1 is ranked 117,777^th in the world and 1^st in Calcutta for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 85.55 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.