The Confederation of Saltstead is a gargantuan, safe nation, ruled by Gabrièla Rudden with a fair hand, and renowned for its compulsory military service, daily referendums, and national health service. The compassionate, democratic population of 11.523 billion Saltsteaders 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, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Social Policy. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Ashwell. The average income tax rate is 41.7%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The strong Saltsteadish economy, worth 811 trillion marks a year, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Book Publishing, Tourism, and Woodchip Exports. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 70,418 marks, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Late night talk show hosts are having a field day over Gabrièla Rudden's questionably sane new coalition partners, government ministers sport new billboards that read 'Will Trade Votes for Private Members' Bill Support', the saying 'break a leg' is now taken literally, and guide dogs for the blind have been seen using government websites. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Saltstead's national animal is the stallion, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Unitarianism.

Saltstead is ranked 264,435^th in the world and 60^th in Anaia for Most Primitive, scoring -209.7 on the Scary Big Number Scale.