The Lurking Shadow of Bendicion is a gargantuan, efficient nation, ruled by President Gbendicion with an even hand, and remarkable for its compulsory military service, smutty television, and compulsory gun ownership. The hard-nosed, hard-working, humorless population of 12.982 billion Bendians 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 medium-sized, corrupt government prioritizes Industry, with Defense, Education, and Administration also on the agenda, while Spirituality is ignored. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Grand Kalipzty Bendianii. The average income tax rate is 93.7%.

The frighteningly efficient Bendian economy, worth a remarkable 5,315 trillion Doleres a year, is fairly diversified and mostly comprised of black market activity, especially in Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, Retail, and Book Publishing. Average income is an amazing 409,480 Doleres, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 4.5 times as much as the poorest.

The government is spending billions of taxpayer Doleres to support "struggling" industries, photographers have to apply for a license to photograph President Gbendicion, evenings at university debating societies often end with everyone acknowledging both sides may well be right, and the carbon tax fund gladly supplies warm blankets when the poor can't pay their heating bills. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Bendicion's national animal is the Bald Eagle, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to toxic air pollution, and its national religion is Christianity.

Bendicion is ranked 59,340^th in the world and 22^nd in Democritus for Most Pro-Market, scoring 52.56 on the Rand Index.