The Kingdom of Untermite is a mammoth, cultured nation, ruled by Art Robinson the Bruce with a fair hand, and renowned for its sprawling nuclear power plants, multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, and hatred of cheese. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 8.435 billion Untermitesques love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.

The government — a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked, socially-minded, outspoken morass — juggles the competing demands of Administration, Education, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Old Butte Village. The income tax rate is 100%.

The frighteningly efficient Untermitean economy, worth a remarkable 1,822 trillion Ingots a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is highly specialized, is mostly made up of the Book Publishing industry, with significant contributions from Tourism. Average income is an amazing 216,092 Ingots, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The lasting legacy of the current generation is a million years of buried radioactivity, polling place volunteers are suddenly opening a huge number of offshore bank accounts, pre-takeoff checks last longer than the flights themselves, and artists from across the nation compete to renovate the restrooms of old government buildings. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Untermite's national animal is the Capybara, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Interconnection.

Untermite is ranked 379^th in the world and 13^th in The East Pacific for Highest Food Quality, scoring 443.11 on the Meeshlin-Starr Index.