The United Planets of Ikkerus is a massive, genial nation, ruled by Secretary-General Cieneth with a fair hand, and notable for its sprawling nuclear power plants, state-planned economy, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate, democratic population of 1.538 billion Ikkerusians are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whomever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.

The enormous, liberal, socially-minded, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of The Bridge of Draconis. The average income tax rate is 94.9%.

The frighteningly efficient Ikkerusian economy, worth 203 trillion Ikkerus Credits a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Basket Weaving. Average income is an impressive 132,016 Ikkerus Credits, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Snap elections are called over every minor impasse, candidates make campaign speeches at the funerals of former rivals, rebuilding efforts for a recently destroyed cathedral aren't expected to be completed for another century, and children gain their first sex education from reading the dictionary. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ikkerus's national animal is the Green Sea Turtle, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans.

Ikkerus is ranked 306,611^th in the world and 531^st in Starlight for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -9.54 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.