The State of Netherton is a gargantuan, socially progressive nation, ruled by the Governor with an even hand, and notable for its barren, inhospitable landscape. The quiet, industrious population of 45.476 billion Nethertonians have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The large government juggles the competing demands of Education, Welfare, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Columbia Heights. The average income tax rate is 40.7%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The enormous but inefficient Nethertonian economy, worth a remarkable 1,444 trillion betales a year, is quite specialized and led by the Pizza Delivery industry, with major contributions from Woodchip Exports, Automobile Manufacturing, and Beef-Based Agriculture. Average income is 31,753 betales, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.5 times as much as the poorest.

A typical fast food menu item could serve a small army, The Governor has just been declared ruler of Netherton in an international press conference, CSI Forest is this year's hit new crime show, and lobbyists are trying to convince government to recategorize most natural disasters as "non-critical naturogenic inconveniences". Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Netherton's national animal is the deer, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Netherton is ranked 146,933^rd in the world and 1^st in British Islands for Lowest Crime Rates, with 62.28 law-abiding acts per hour.