The Dictatorship of Merlance is a colossal, orderly nation, ruled by Merci with an iron fist, and renowned for its prohibition of alcohol, vat-grown people, and irreverence towards religion. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless population of 3.239 billion Mercians are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The large, corrupt, moralistic, socially-minded, well-organized government prioritizes Defense, with Law & Order, Education, and Administration also on the agenda. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Cania. The average income tax rate is 95.1%.

The frighteningly efficient Mercean economy, worth a remarkable 1,018 trillion Conchias 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 an enormous, deeply entrenched, fairly diversified black market in Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, Beef-Based Agriculture, and Uranium Mining. 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 an amazing 314,404 Conchias, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

NationStates is now a popular brand of laxatives despite Max Barry's protests, it's not mass murder when the government does it, guide dogs for the blind have been seen using government websites, and arbitration is mightier than the sword. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Merlance's national animal is the Dolphin, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans, and its national religion is Mercism.

Merlance is ranked 970^th in the world and 1^st in Atrax for Highest Poor Incomes, with 281,034.86 Standard Monetary Units.