The Microcosm of Council of Feathers is a massive, safe nation, ruled by The Finch Above All with a fair hand, and remarkable for its daily referendums, irreverence towards religion, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate, democratic population of 3.328 billion Councillors love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.

The enormous, socially-minded, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Zeebie Council. The average income tax rate is 89.9%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The very strong Council of Feathersian economy, worth 276 trillion bits a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is highly specialized, is mostly made up of the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing. Average income is 83,223 bits, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Drunk drivers are sent to rehabilitation paid for by the government, country folk are sent to obligatory boarding schools to learn how to be civilized, armed war-criminals gain asylum if deemed 'fabulous' enough, and sleeping on the job is recommended. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Council of Feathers's national animal is the zebra finch, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Council of Feathers is ranked 8,855^th in the world and 14^th in Concord for Nicest Citizens, with 35.51 average smiles per day.