The Commonwealth of Latstat is a huge, genial nation, remarkable for its multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, national health service, and punitive income tax rates. The compassionate, democratic population of 617 million Latstatians 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 large, socially-minded, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Welfare. The average income tax rate is 71.0%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The strong Latstatian economy, worth 46.9 trillion Credits a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a slick, highly efficient, quite specialized black market in Trout Farming, Information Technology, Arms Manufacturing, and Retail. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is 76,018 Credits, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Cotton candy made from genuine cotton cellulose doesn't quite satisfy, when their backs are against the walls Latstatians look out for gay men, lifelong celibates are surprised to receive government-issue condoms in the post, and resident physicians are said to have a silver scalpel in their hands. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Latstat's national animal is the Tailor Bird, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Latstat is ranked 18,665^th in the world and 71^st in Starlight for Most Eco-Friendly Governments, scoring 3,487.76 on the Dolphin Recycling Awareness Index.