The Socialist Republic of Osterhalten is a mammoth, efficient nation, ruled by Willa Armstrong with a fair hand, and renowned for its infamous sell-swords, keen interest in outer space, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate, democratic population of 6.325 billion Osterhaltiennes are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whomever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.

The enormous, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Dreamcliff. The average income tax rate is 90.3%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Osterhaltenian economy, worth 741 trillion marks a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is highly specialized, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Tourism and Book Publishing. Average income is an impressive 117,200 marks, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Government buildings are being cleansed of anything that might have racist connotations, Willa Armstrong has been nicknamed 'Robomop', decongestants have replaced marks in street transactions, and 42 is the answer to life the universe and the new bus route into Dreamcliff. Crime is totally unknown. Osterhalten's national animal is the river otter, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans.

Osterhalten is ranked 305,065^th in the world and 43^rd in Esportiva for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -9.4 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.