The Aristocratic Republic of Verdon is a gargantuan, socially progressive nation, renowned for its museums and concert halls, keen interest in outer space, and ban on automobiles. The compassionate population of 13.004 billion Verdonians enjoy extensive civil freedoms, particularly in social issues, while business tends to be more regulated.

The government — a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked, liberal morass — juggles the competing demands of Education, Environment, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Camarga. The average income tax rate is 82.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The thriving Verdonian economy, worth 934 trillion Escus a year, is extremely specialized and mostly made up of the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 71,884 Escus, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Religious education is a new government priority, the comic book series 'Leader and the Villainous Corporate Cronies' is a best-seller, government agents stalk the aisles of grocery stores for out-of-stock medications, and even religious militants can be swayed by the power of #love. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Verdon's national animal is the Horse, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Verdon is ranked 82,588^th in the world and 97^th in The Western Isles for Largest Publishing Industry, scoring 3,115.78 on the Bella Potter Productivity e-Index.