The Protected Isle of The Vines is a gargantuan, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Fuchsia Rose with a fair hand, and notable for its national health service, keen interest in outer space, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, democratic population of 21.978 billion Vinesfolk 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, Healthcare, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Asterville. The average income tax rate is 88.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Vinyl economy, worth a remarkable 3,471 trillion bits a year, is quite specialized and led by the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Tourism, and Cheese Exports. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 157,938 bits, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The Vines's heavy congestion charges are the bane of motorists' lives, psychiatrists bizarrely accompany Fuchsia Rose to meetings with foreign heads of state, sales of pregnancy testing kits are booming, and demand for night vision goggles and boat engine mufflers has spiked. Crime is totally unknown. The Vines's national animal is the Lernaean hydra, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

The Vines is ranked 131,433^rd in the world and 12^th in Pony Lands for Largest Furniture Restoration Industry, scoring 2,224.43 on the Spitz-Pollish Productivity Index.