The Watchfires of Vaccaei is a titanic, cultured nation, notable for its pith helmet sales, restrictive gun laws, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, cynical, devout population of 21.128 billion Vaccaeians 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 medium-sized, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Industry. The average income tax rate is 32.0%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The strong Vaccaeian economy, worth a remarkable 1,484 trillion $$s a year, is quite specialized and dominated by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Trout Farming, Uranium Mining, and Beef-Based Agriculture. Black market activity is notable. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 70,264 $$s, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.1 times as much as the poorest.

The "swords to plowshares" policy has created a generation of farmers that can kill a yak from 200 yards away, wildlife near farms is slowly becoming extinct, business owners return from long vacations to find their factories have been turned into homeless shelters, and dealers go from pushing drugs to pushing up daisies. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Vaccaei's national animal is the Death's-head hawkmoth, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Vaccaei is ranked 281,396^th in the world and 1^st in Salamanca for Highest Unexpected Death Rate, scoring 25.06 on the Bus Surprisal Index.