The Empire of Meretica is a massive, cultured nation, ruled by King Michael II with an even hand, and notable for its museums and concert halls, sprawling nuclear power plants, and digital currency. The compassionate, cheerful, devout population of 4.934 billion Mereticans have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The large, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Education, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Christine City. The average income tax rate is 95.9%.

The frighteningly efficient Meretican economy, worth 905 trillion Belecthorian Imperial Silver Dollars a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Book Publishing, and Beef-Based Agriculture. Average income is an impressive 183,591 Belecthorian Imperial Silver Dollars, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.3 times as much as the poorest.

Garishly-decorated government buildings are being hailed as the height of 'religious nouveau', Members of Parliament are often found living in cardboard boxes, politicians always seem reluctant to publish their tax returns, and pictures of government employees with expensive Pearbooks 'working' on exotic beaches dominate local tabloids. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Meretica's national animal is the eagle, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies, and its national religion is Belecthorian Societal Orthodoxy.

Meretica is ranked 7,224^th in the world and 192^nd in the Rejected Realms for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 463.3 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.