The Great Union of Norbarch is a colossal, cultured nation, notable for its lack of airports, smutty television, and irreverence towards religion. The compassionate population of 7.614 billion Norbarchians enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The enormous government juggles the competing demands of Education, Environment, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Bæn. The average income tax rate is 92.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Norbarchian economy, worth a remarkable 1,019 trillion Euros a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is highly specialized, is led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing and Tourism. Average income is an impressive 133,854 Euros, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

There's a shortage of swinging hot spots as land development grinds to a halt, late night talk show hosts are having a field day over Leader's questionably sane new coalition partners, every day has been a surprise since weather reporters turned to consulting ancient totems for their seven-day forecasts, and sex changes are routinely performed at Norbarch's hospitals. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Norbarch's national animal is the Owl, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Norbarch is ranked 37,859^th in the world and 477^th in Europe for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 185.85 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.