The Republic of Derous is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Prefect Crispin Wierzba with a fair hand, and notable for its public floggings, irreverence towards religion, and stringent health and safety legislation. The democratic population of 1.246 billion Derousians 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 large government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of San Cristofer. The average income tax rate is 50.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The strong Derousian economy, worth 85.2 trillion Derous dollars a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Beef-Based Agriculture, Cheese Exports, and Furniture Restoration. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 68,340 Derous dollars, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Prefect Crispin Wierzba's luxurious new home has been designated as a protected cultural heritage site, worried-looking neonatal nurses are being deployed in place of SWAT teams during dangerous drug busts, the nation is renowned abroad for its love of blood and guts, and a suspicious number of John Smiths are known to donate to Derousian politicians. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Derous's national animal is the Pangolin, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Derous is ranked 283,135^th in the world and 175^th in Saint Osmund for Largest Black Market, with 59.0 billion Standard Monetary Units.