The United States of Karnea is a very large, safe nation, notable for its ban on automobiles, daily referendums, and free-roaming dinosaurs. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic population of 136 million Karneans hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The relatively small, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Welfare, and Environment. The average income tax rate is 18.3%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The strong Karnean economy, worth 10.7 trillion Karns a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Retail, and Basket Weaving. Average income is 78,855 Karns, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.8 times as much as the poorest.

Karnea has one of the largest offshore wind farms in the world, snap elections are called over every minor impasse, surprising numbers of poor people are protesting against taxing the rich, and human tissue is grown in vats as a delicacy as well as for transplants. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Karnea's national animal is the Lynx, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Karnea is ranked 35,262^nd in the world and 532^nd in Europe for Most Popular Tourist Destinations, with 1,076.4 tourists per hour.