The Federal Republic of Countesia is a titanic, cultured nation, ruled by James Emmanuel with a fair hand, and remarkable for its museums and concert halls, smutty television, and daily referendums. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic population of 14.926 billion Countesians enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Industry, Education, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Urbem City. The average income tax rate is 57.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Countesian economy, worth a remarkable 1,644 trillion Credits a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Furniture Restoration. Black market activity is notable. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 110,154 Credits, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

James Emmanuel's latest speech included a bizarre reference to MaxWow incontinence pads being 50% more absorbent than the next leading brand, vats of anabolic steroids are being dumped into the ocean to make Countesian mussels the biggest in Balder, dubiously qualified Skandilundian barristers keep referring to laws as 'government guidelines', and consuming ecstasy is a common rite of passage. Crime is totally unknown. Countesia's national animal is the Capybara, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Countesia is ranked 152,524^th in the world and 8,214^th in Balder for Safest, scoring 60.93 on the Bubble-Rapp Safety Rating.