The Happy Charnel House of Chinese Lanterns is a gargantuan, efficient nation, notable for its ritual sacrifices, enslaved workforce, and ban on automobiles. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless, devout population of 36.176 billion Chinese Lanternsians 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, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Education. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 27.0%.

The frighteningly efficient Chinese Lanternsian economy, worth a remarkable 4,147 trillion baubles a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Information Technology, and Beef-Based Agriculture. Black market activity is extensive. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 114,648 baubles, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 330,127 per year while the poor average 31,624, a ratio of 10.4 to 1.

Apples shaped like baguettes have become a strange new food fad, lobotomies haven't been the same after the practice was severed, the invisible hand of the market wipes babies' bottoms, and auditors are gutting every governmental department. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Chinese Lanterns's national animal is the kelpie, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Chinese Lanterns is ranked 12,099^th in the world and 1^st in Peoples Republic of China for Highest Disposable Incomes, with 83,693.07 Standard Monetary Units.