The Democratic Republic of Paratinas is a massive, safe nation, remarkable for its irreverence towards religion, absence of drug laws, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, democratic population of 1.976 billion Paratinasians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized, liberal government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Welfare. The average income tax rate is 27.3%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but inefficient Paratinasian economy, worth 73.2 trillion Plinks a year, is led by the Trout Farming industry, with significant contributions from Furniture Restoration, Woodchip Exports, and Basket Weaving. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 37,029 Plinks, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.0 times as much as the poorest.

Worship days have replaced sick days, the entire entry for Paratinas in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the World reads 'mostly harmless', third party candidates are now gaining some representation in Parliament, and a ban on unsolicited cold calling in all forms is in effect. Crime is totally unknown. Paratinas's national animal is the Gryphon, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Paratinas is ranked 239,118^th in the world and 22^nd in Arborhaven for Highest Unexpected Death Rate, scoring 26.86 on the Bus Surprisal Index.