The Democratic Republic of Ardok is a huge, safe nation, ruled by Anthony Lecter with a fair hand, and notable for its national health service, anti-smoking policies, and irreverence towards religion. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic population of 760 million Ardokians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The large, corrupt, liberal, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Industry, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Suhl. The average income tax rate is 77.6%.

The frighteningly efficient Ardokian economy, worth 83.8 trillion Ardokian leks a year, is quite specialized and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Arms Manufacturing, and Retail. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 110,300 Ardokian leks, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.6 times as much as the poorest.

Fancy dress parties are raided by military police for new recruits, there's a mortuary next to every Ardokian restaurant, the tax department is having withdrawal symptoms, and any secret that gets off someone's chest is promptly replaced. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ardok's national animal is the Tiger, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Ardok is ranked 133,838^th in the world and 2,849^th in The North Pacific for Largest Gambling Industry, scoring 747.76 on the Kelly Criterion Productivity Index.