The Protectorate of Paffnicard 4 is a massive, orderly nation, ruled by Aleksandar Vekili with an iron fist, and renowned for its infamous sell-swords, devotion to social welfare, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, cynical, humorless, devout population of 3.968 billion Paffniacs 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 government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Skoptopolis. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 66.0%.

The frighteningly efficient Paffniac economy, worth 457 trillion banks a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Uranium Mining, and Furniture Restoration. Black market activity is notable. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 115,195 banks, with the richest citizens earning 6.9 times as much as the poorest.

Cheap textbooks have replaced coasters at college ragers, citizens live in superstitious fear of the mysterious glowing clouds that float over Paffnicard 4, pregnancy tests are under fire from the government for being marketed only to women, and police are trained in using their steel-capped boots as a tool of law enforcement. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Paffnicard 4's national animal is the card, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its national religion is card farming.

Paffnicard 4 is ranked 4,420^th in the world and 2^nd in 10KI Card Farm for Most Patriotic, with 61.04 flags saluted per person per day.