The Commune of The Niagara is a massive, efficient nation, ruled by Julio Nordlund with a fair hand, and remarkable for its state-planned economy, daily referendums, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, democratic population of 1.792 billion Niagarans are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whomever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.

The enormous, socially-minded, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Welfare, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Norrastaden. The average income tax rate is 78.2%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The all-consuming Niagarian economy, worth 164 trillion Kronars a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Tourism, Trout Farming, and Basket Weaving. Average income is 92,018 Kronars, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Third world countries are rich in "I Love Norrastaden" t-shirts, politicians have tenure, the media seems excessively interested in what Julio Nordlund is wearing this season, and Saturday morning cartoons feature full frontal nudity. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. The Niagara's national animal is the Eagle, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies, and its national religion is Atheïsm.

The Niagara is ranked 267,104^th in the world and 96^th in Liberal Democratic Union for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -8.94 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.