The Protectorate of Gastronomy is a mid-sized, socially progressive nation, remarkable for its barren, inhospitable landscape. The hard-working, democratic, devout population of 69 million Gastronomyians enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

The relatively small government juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Education, and Administration. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 13.2%.

The strong Gastronomyian economy, worth 3.71 trillion poops a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Uranium Mining industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Furniture Restoration, and Pizza Delivery. Average income is 53,795 poops, with the richest citizens earning 6.1 times as much as the poorest.

Citizens are enjoying a recent large cut in taxes, the alarmingly racist TV show 'Bigtopians Say the Darndest Things' is a hit, the country's famous rainforests are being bulldozed by the mining industry, and moles make up an incredible part of the upper crust. Crime is moderate, with the police force struggling against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Gastronomy's national animal is the turd burglar, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Gastronomy is ranked 151,178^th in the world and 989^th in the Rejected Realms for Most Rebellious Youth, scoring zero on the Stark-Dean Displacement Index.