The Borderlands of Northern Pole is a titanic, efficient nation, ruled by Buzz Arnstrong with an iron fist, and remarkable for its parental licensing program, public floggings, and complete absence of social welfare. The hard-nosed, cynical, devout population of 15.159 billion Northern Poleans are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

The medium-sized, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Administration, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of North Pole City. The average income tax rate is 26.8%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The powerhouse Northern Polean economy, worth a remarkable 1,370 trillion Kroner a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Beef-Based Agriculture industry, with major contributions from Basket Weaving, Arms Manufacturing, and Tourism. Black market activity is extensive. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 90,400 Kroner, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.6 times as much as the poorest.

The population's jaw muscles put sharks to shame, Buzz Arnstrong's relatives have been married into the royal families of foreign nations against their will, terrorists who are 17th cousins with the ex-wives of half-brothers of citizens are now exempt from the immigration ban, and alien kidnappings of both cattle and humans are headline news on the most respected papers (Northern Pole has found 1 easter egg). Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Northern Pole's national animal is the Snow Bunting, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Northern Pole is ranked 28,384^th in the world and 1^st in Not The North Pole for Largest Gambling Industry, scoring 6,309.64 on the Kelly Criterion Productivity Index.