The Republic of Vespurg is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Sebastian Harper with an iron fist, and notable for its compulsory military service, public floggings, and frequent executions. The hard-working, cynical population of 1.218 billion Vespurgians 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 government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Great Pheasant. The average income tax rate is 37.9%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The all-consuming Vespurgian economy, worth 108 trillion Credits a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Arms Manufacturing, and Cheese Exports. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 88,926 Credits, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.1 times as much as the poorest.

Turning eighteen is often referred to as the 'Age of Aquarius', religious organizations are being forced to leave the country or pay income taxes like everybody else, the "temporary replacement bus service" is now a permanent fixture, and businesses often fire workers in favour of cheaper automatic systems. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Vespurg's national animal is the horned snake, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Catholicism.

Vespurg is ranked 283,163^rd in the world and 4,749^th in the South Pacific for Largest Trout Fishing Sector, scoring -8.9 on the Nemo Depletion Efficiency Index.