The Federal Republics of Novikov is a titanic, efficient nation, ruled by Premier Waclaw Gružejow with a fair hand, and renowned for its public floggings, keen interest in outer space, and devotion to social welfare. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic, humorless population of 11.152 billion Novikovians enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

The large, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Social Policy. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Poldisk. The average income tax rate is 96.8%.

The frighteningly efficient Novikovian economy, worth a remarkable 2,261 trillion Kapeks a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Book Publishing industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Uranium Mining, and Basket Weaving. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an amazing 202,832 Kapeks, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Public urination is on the increase, the new Liquor Legitimacy Office is besieged with job applications from people who have experience in "statistical sampling methods", warning signs caution Novikovians where they may fall off 'the edge of the world', and the government mails weekly updates on the new anti-junk mail laws to every citizen. Crime is totally unknown. Novikov's national animal is the falcon, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to toxic air pollution, and its national religion is the Novikovian Orthodox Church.

Novikov is ranked 2,951^st in the world and 1^st in Nova for Most Developed, scoring 97.28 on the Human Development Index.