The State of Lil Ben is a gargantuan, environmentally stunning nation, notable for its state-planned economy, absence of drug laws, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed population of 33.215 billion Lil Benians enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The government — a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked, liberal, socially-minded morass — juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Law & Order, and Spirituality. The average income tax rate is 79.9%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The large but stagnant Lil Benian economy, worth 435 trillion betales 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 Door-to-door Insurance Sales industry, with major contributions from Retail, Beef-Based Agriculture, and Furniture Restoration. Average income is 13,117 betales, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Elections have been outlawed. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Lil Ben's national animal is the deer, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Lil Ben is ranked 231,006^th in the world and 1^st in Exeter for Most Compassionate Citizens, scoring 41.43 on the Kitten Softness Rating.