The Dictatorship of Etat de Bourgogne is a huge, safe nation, notable for its compulsory military service, punitive income tax rates, and stringent health and safety legislation. The cynical population of 213 million les Bourguignons 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 enormous, socially-minded, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Spirituality. The average income tax rate is 61.5%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but sluggish Bourguignon economy, worth 4.50 trillion argent Bourguignons a year, is quite specialized and mostly made up of the Trout Farming industry, with significant contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Book Publishing, and Cheese Exports. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 21,117 argent Bourguignons, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

All major public areas are watched by police surveillance cameras, surgical tape has taken on a distinctly red color, promising seven years of bad luck leads to seven years of community service, and a valid legal defense is 'dead men tell no tales'. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Etat de Bourgogne's national animal is the poulet, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Etat de Bourgogne is ranked 78,386^th in the world and 1,733^rd in The East Pacific for Most Cheerful Citizens, with 50.99 Percentage Of Water Glasses Perceived Half-Full.