The Maritime Empire of Montessia is a colossal, socially progressive nation, ruled by the supreme captain with a fair hand, and notable for its multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, avant-garde cinema, and keen interest in outer space. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 2.599 billion Montessians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The relatively small government juggles the competing demands of Education, Industry, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of portosole. The average income tax rate is 14.6%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Montessian economy, worth 344 trillion doubloons a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing, Information Technology, and Cheese Exports. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 132,392 doubloons, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.1 times as much as the poorest.

Mining safety laws are often more expensive than what's being mined, the government's foreign policy statements are less threatening than a World Assembly cease-and-desist letter, stolen Reuben sandwiches are met with detailed and thorough police investigations, and the nation has opened its arms to an influx of refugees. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Montessia's national animal is the whale, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans, and its national religion is none.

Montessia is ranked 3,178^th in the world and 1^st in Lone Wolves United for Largest Cheese Export Sector, scoring 8,334.93 on the Mozzarella Productivity Index.