The Crystal leth dealing cabal of Lethen is a gargantuan, efficient nation, ruled by Malcolm Mason with an even hand, and renowned for its triple-decker prams, national health service, and keen interest in outer space. The hard-nosed, cheerful population of 43.514 billion Lethenians are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

The tiny government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Arnhelm. The average income tax rate is 2.3%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Lethenian economy, worth an astonishing 10,254 trillion Golden Farbs a year, is led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Information Technology and Book Publishing. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an amazing 235,667 Golden Farbs, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Music award shows include surprise polygraph segments, a ban on robots in disguise has transformed the entertainment industry, the jails are alive with the sound of birdsong, and the importance of winning Olympic gold medals is indoctrinated from an early age. Crime is totally unknown. Lethen's national animal is the penguin, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Masonic love fest.

Lethen is ranked 279,249^th in the world and 1,101^st in Europeia for Greatest Rich-Poor Divides, with 1.44 Rich To Poor Income Ratio.