The Republic of Varde is a colossal, cultured nation, notable for its ritual sacrifices, infamous sell-swords, and daily referendums. The hard-nosed, humorless, devout population of 4.482 billion Vardeans are highly moralistic and fiercely conservative, in the sense that they tend to believe most things should be outlawed. People who have good jobs and work quietly at them are lauded; others are viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Administration. The average income tax rate is 41.4%.

The all-consuming Vardean economy, worth 493 trillion Ducats a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Book Publishing, and Trout Farming. Black market activity is notable. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 110,090 Ducats, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 4.7 times as much as the poorest.

The 'sing-a-long with Leader' album is a popular souvenir, the nation's navy has been named the scourge of the seven thousand seas, Varde City's main city thoroughfare has been blocked by a row of leyland cypresses that mysteriously appeared overnight, and a new guerrilla marketing campaign for tap water involves government agents spraying random citizens with hose water. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Varde's national animal is the Lynx, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Varde is ranked 8,845^th in the world and 3^rd in Valerian Reach for Largest Cheese Export Sector, scoring 6,799.25 on the Mozzarella Productivity Index.