The Democratic Empire of Makinius is a massive, genial nation, ruled by Tahnee I with a fair hand, and renowned for its museums and concert halls, multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, and keen interest in outer space. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic population of 1.073 billion Makinians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The large, liberal, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Defense, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Darwin. The average income tax rate is 73.4%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Makinian economy, worth 129 trillion Makinian dollars a year, is led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Arms Manufacturing, and Uranium Mining. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 120,534 Makinian dollars, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.4 times as much as the poorest.

For 25 Makinian dollars tourists can gawk at the site of national tragedy, anti-government political posters adorn every building like wallpaper, doctors prescribe medicines but they rarely dispense hope or compassion, and the new national campaign exhorts men to "Show Some Class - Don't Sit On Your Ass". Crime is totally unknown. Makinius's national animal is the inland taipan, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Makinius is ranked 22,151^st in the world and 704^th in the South Pacific for Most Beautiful Environments, with 943.69 pounds of wildlife per square mile.