The Isle of Bonesea is a titanic, genial nation, ruled by Councillor Marven Shanty with a fair hand, and renowned for its daily referendums, smutty television, and keen interest in outer space. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic population of 20.096 billion Bonesfolk hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized, liberal, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Welfare, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Spittalsea. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 74.7%.

The frighteningly efficient Boney economy, worth a remarkable 2,728 trillion Bone Shillings a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is broadly diversified, is led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Book Publishing, and Cheese Exports. Average income is an impressive 135,786 Bone Shillings, with the richest citizens earning 6.7 times as much as the poorest.

There have been reports of people marrying housepets, territories have the right to secede if they aren't happy, Councillor Marven Shanty has just been declared ruler of Bonesea in an international press conference, and the government's official stance on religion is that it is so very silly. Crime is totally unknown. Bonesea's national animal is the Gullraven.

Bonesea is ranked 26,840^th in the world and 1^st in Deltic Waters for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 266.18 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.