The Republic of Gratern is a massive, cultured nation, notable for its frequent executions, daily referendums, and free-roaming dinosaurs. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic, humorless population of 1.654 billion Graternians are effectively ruled by a group of massive corporations, who run for political office and provide their well-off citizens with world-class goods and services. Their poorer citizens, however, are mostly starving to death while being urged to go out and get real jobs. The populace has reasonably extensive civil rights, although these are mostly aimed at allowing them to buy whatever they like.

The relatively small, corrupt, pro-business, outspoken government is primarily concerned with Industry, with Administration and Law & Order also on the agenda, while Welfare is ignored. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 9.5%.

The frighteningly efficient Graternian economy, worth 268 trillion Eclipse Marks a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Retail industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Soda Sales, and Gambling. Average income is an impressive 162,333 Eclipse Marks, but there is a vast disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 1,367,773 per year while the poor average 3,607, a ratio of 379 to 1.

A recent "genocide prevention" campaign includes murdering children based on their DNA, kindergartners' favourite dance move is the stop-drop-and-roll, the nation was recently voted as the most stylish in Concord, and all weapon research has been banned. Crime is totally unknown. Gratern's national animal is the Fox, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Gratern is ranked 322,547^th in the world and 1,155^th in Concord for Nicest Citizens, with 0.37 average smiles per day.