The Commonwealth of Shire is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Mayor with a fair hand, and notable for its burgeoning prancing pony population. The hard-working, democratic population of 3.827 billion Hobbits hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The tiny, liberal, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Healthcare, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Michel Delving. The average income tax rate is 8.5%.

The Hobbitish economy, worth 209 trillion silver pennies a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Trout Farming industry, with significant contributions from Basket Weaving, Gambling, and Information Technology. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 54,848 silver pennies, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.2 times as much as the poorest.

Tourists from around the world come to visit the country's famous rainforests, a well-funded social safety net protects the unfortunate, Shire has designated Michel Delving as its capital city, and Mayor has just been declared ruler of Shire in an international press conference. Crime is relatively low. Shire's national animal is the prancing pony, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Shire is ranked 198,695^th in the world and 18^th in Northumbria for Highest Foreign Aid Spending, scoring -3.16 on the Clooney Contribution Index.