The Republic of Thorn258 is a mammoth, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service, punitive income tax rates, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless, devout population of 8.308 billion Thorn258ians are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The large, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Education. The average income tax rate is 81.0%.

The frighteningly efficient Thorn258ian economy, worth a remarkable 1,111 trillion francs a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a large, well-organized, fairly diversified black market in Information Technology, Arms Manufacturing, Cheese Exports, and Tourism. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is an impressive 133,772 francs, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 4.7 times as much as the poorest.

Thorn258 City University is said to be the modern-day Tower of Babel, Leader claims tax rises are the result of 'curses', the government has ordered a moratorium on referenda, and wigged-out hunters report playing croquet with the Queen of Hearts. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Thorn258's national animal is the elephant, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Thorn258 is ranked 48,886^th in the world and 1^st in Rockstone for Largest Arms Manufacturing Sector, scoring 15,246.93 on the Charon Conveyancy Index.