The State of Merlue is a gargantuan, efficient nation, notable for its complete lack of public education, complete absence of social welfare, and spontaneously combusting cars. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 22.144 billion Merlueans are effectively ruled by a group of massive corporations, who run for political office and provide their well-off citizens with world-class goods and services. Their poorer citizens, however, are mostly starving to death while being urged to go out and get real jobs. The populace has reasonably extensive civil rights, although these are mostly aimed at allowing them to buy whatever they like.

The minute, pro-business government, or what there is of one, is dominated by the Department of Law & Order, with Industry and Defense also on the agenda, while Welfare and Spirituality are ignored. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Capital Heights. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 4.9%.

The thriving Merluean economy, worth a remarkable 1,144 trillion betales a year, is driven almost entirely by the private sector, which is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Retail, Cheese Exports, and Soda Sales. Average income is 51,662 betales, but there is an enormous disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 283,763 per year while the poor average 4,780, a ratio of 59.4 to 1.

Military spending recently hit a new high, all tariffs have been abolished, the alarmingly racist TV show 'Bigtopians Say the Darndest Things' is a hit, and Merlue has designated Capital Heights as its capital city. Crime is a serious problem, with the police force struggling against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Merlue's national animal is the deer.

Merlue is ranked 228,861^st in the world and 6^th in Castries for Safest, scoring 21.36 on the Bubble-Rapp Safety Rating.