The Confederated Empire of Derthalen is a massive, cultured nation, ruled by Heinrich Johannes Fleischmann with an even hand, and notable for its closed borders, avowedly heterosexual populace, and public floggings. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless, devout population of 2.775 billion Derthalers are highly moralistic and fiercely conservative, in the sense that they tend to believe most things should be outlawed. People who have good jobs and work quietly at them are lauded; others are viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized, corrupt, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Heinrichstadt. The average income tax rate is 39.9%.

The frighteningly efficient Derthaler economy, worth 326 trillion Thalers a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Retail, Uranium Mining, and Furniture Restoration. Black market activity is notable. Average income is an impressive 117,676 Thalers, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.4 times as much as the poorest.

There's a lot of hot air coming from the Capitol Building, the fattest folk in Derthalen look to be the happiest ones, the only place where one can see the Derthaler cherry tree is in a museum, and on graduation day the hats thrown in the air fly high enough to stun passing pigeons. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Derthalen's national animal is the Eagle, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is the Imperial Truth.

Derthalen is ranked 89,850^th in the world and 92^nd in Europa for Most Advanced Public Transport, scoring 682.07 on the Societal Mobility Rating.