The Supremely Democratic States of Hirota is a gargantuan, cultured nation, ruled by Kan Pae Down with an even hand, and notable for its smutty television, keen interest in outer space, and irreverence towards religion. The hard-nosed, hard-working population of 49.355 billion Hirotans have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The minute government, or what there is of one, juggles the competing demands of Defense, Healthcare, and Education. The average income tax rate is 1.2%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Hirotan economy, worth a remarkable 8,826 trillion coins a year, is led by the Uranium Mining industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing, Information Technology, and Retail. Black market activity is notable. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 178,843 coins, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Interest rates mysteriously drop whenever the CBH Governor goes house hunting, public buses smell like litter boxes, ex-cons are paid to remain law-abidingly dull, and the government is keeping a watch on all seeing eyes. Crime, especially youth-related, is all-pervasive, probably because of the absence of a police force. Hirota's national animal is the forest owl, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Hirota is ranked 331,935^th in the world and 922^nd in Europe for Highest Average Tax Rates, with 1.24 Effective Tax Rate.