The Swirling Stars of Merethin is a mammoth, efficient nation, ruled by Iris with a fair hand, and renowned for its compulsory vegetarianism, irreverence towards religion, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 6.091 billion Merethinians love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.

The enormous, socially-minded, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Industry, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Merethin City. The average income tax rate is 99.6%.

The frighteningly efficient Merethinian economy, worth a remarkable 1,327 trillion golden coins a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is highly specialized, is mostly made up of the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing and Tourism. Average income is an amazing 217,899 golden coins, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Political satirists and late night comedians weep as the government begins cleaning up its act, sex changes are routinely performed at Merethin's hospitals, scavengers with burlap sacks and shovels skulk around graveyards, and remote-control hang-gliding scarecrows patrol the skies to keep songbirds from leaving the nation's borders. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Merethin's national animal is the axolotl, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans, and its national religion is Star Sister.

Merethin is ranked 310,055^th in the world and 537^th in Starlight for Largest Arms Manufacturing Sector, scoring -15.8 on the Charon Conveyancy Index.