The Grand Republic of Havenwelle is a gargantuan, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Kevin Burke with an iron fist, and notable for its museums and concert halls, smutty television, and keen interest in outer space. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless, devout population of 19.122 billion Havenwelleans 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, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Administration, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Grand Haven. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 43.9%.

The frighteningly efficient Havenwellean economy, worth a remarkable 4,392 trillion Havs a year, is highly specialized and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Information Technology and Book Publishing. Black market activity is rampant. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an amazing 229,693 Havs, with the richest citizens earning 6.8 times as much as the poorest.

Gene-engineered sewerjacks don't smell but they do stink, a National Academy regulates grammar and usage, virtually all of the country's economic activity takes place in Grand Haven, and members of ethnic minorities are more often called "boy" or "girl" than by their actual names. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Havenwelle's national animal is the Brittany Spaniel, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is The Church of Havenwelle.

Havenwelle is ranked 292^nd in the world and 8^th in the South Pacific for Lowest Crime Rates, with 224.9 law-abiding acts per hour.