The Republic of Patent Blue V is a massive, safe nation, renowned for its ban on automobiles, keen interest in outer space, and suspicion of poets. The compassionate, cynical, devout population of 2.561 billion Patent Blue Vians 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 large, moralistic, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Administration. The average income tax rate is 68.2%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The strong Patent Blue Vian economy, worth 169 trillion Currencies a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Tourism, and Information Technology. Average income is 66,315 Currencies, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Returning tourists and businessmen are detained without trial if they belong to the "wrong" religion, the new Refuse Hills housing development is under construction, the media have begun calling the government treasury "Leader's stash", and Animal Liberationists are regularly arrested. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Patent Blue V's national animal is the Animal, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Patent Blue V is ranked 39,907^th in the world and 2,003^rd in Lazarus for Most Cheerful Citizens, with 51.96 Percentage Of Water Glasses Perceived Half-Full.