The Republic of Montopelia is a massive, orderly nation, ruled by Panleni Bascaw with an iron fist, and remarkable for its state-planned economy, ubiquitous missile silos, and compulsory military service. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 1.169 billion Montopelians are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

The medium-sized, corrupt, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Mockville. The average income tax rate is 31.6%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The Montopelian economy, worth 65.3 trillion Neloes a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a slick, highly efficient, fairly diversified black market in Arms Manufacturing, Uranium Mining, Gambling, and Basket Weaving. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is 55,897 Neloes, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.1 times as much as the poorest.

A Refugia Tourist Association survey has rated Montopelia #1 for number twos, government police forces protect public schools from the threat of protest, golden statues of Kiwis line the memorial avenues of the Funerary District, and Montopelia isn't what it used to be. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Montopelia's national animal is the Kiwi, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Montopelia is ranked 123,203^rd in the world and 150^th in Refugia for Largest Soda Pop Sector, scoring 820.24 on the Addison-Fukk Productivity Rating.