The Republic of Candelaria And Marquez is a gargantuan, genial nation, ruled by President Fanny Tan with an even hand, and renowned for its museums and concert halls, daily referendums, and restrictive gun laws. The compassionate population of 32.911 billion Candelariasians 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 enormous government juggles the competing demands of Education, Welfare, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Albrecht. The average income tax rate is 76.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The strong Candelariasian economy, worth a remarkable 2,288 trillion reformed pounds a year, is quite specialized and led by the Book Publishing industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Beef-Based Agriculture, and Tourism. Average income is 69,548 reformed pounds, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.6 times as much as the poorest.

Life expectancies inside correctional facilities vastly exceed the national average, teams of painters are converting road signs from horse lengths to kilometers, the state considers itself the 'third parent' of every child in the nation, and at least 1% of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs budget goes to President Fanny Tan's wardrobe. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Candelaria And Marquez's national animal is the giant toad called Hope, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Candelaria And Marquez is ranked 42,221^st in the world and 27^th in Rushmore for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 139 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.