The State of Shephard is a gargantuan, efficient nation, renowned for its compulsory military service. The hard-working, devout population of 13.426 billion Shephardians are free to succeed or fail in life on their own merits; the successful tend to enjoy an opulent (but moralistic) lifestyle, while the failures can be seen crowding out most jails.

The tiny, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Spirituality, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Capital Heights. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 8.1%.

The very strong Shephardian economy, worth 952 trillion betales a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Gambling industry, with major contributions from Tourism, Basket Weaving, and Furniture Restoration. Average income is 70,943 betales, but there is a large disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 266,848 per year while the poor average 13,160, a ratio of 20.3 to 1.

Nudity is frowned upon, shoppers have literally had their hands full since plastic bags were banned, it is illegal to make racist remarks in public, and Shephard has designated Capital Heights as its capital city. Crime, especially youth-related, is well under control, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Shephard's national animal is the deer.

Shephard is ranked 193,296^th in the world and 407^th in 0000 for Highest Foreign Aid Spending, scoring -3.16 on the Clooney Contribution Index.