The Republic of Waldenes is a mammoth, cultured nation, renowned for its rum-swilling pirates, museums and concert halls, and complete lack of prisons. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic, cheerful, devout population of 7.276 billion Waldenesians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized, liberal, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Industry, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of High Walden. The average income tax rate is 67.2%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Waldenesian economy, worth a remarkable 1,219 trillion Cruts a year, is led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Retail, and Book Publishing. Average income is an impressive 167,570 Cruts, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.1 times as much as the poorest.

Blackacrean security services are wondering why Leader is so fond of the numbers 6, 7 and 9, witnesses have to run a gauntlet of mob enforcers to testify at trials, protesters are up in arms over new nuclear power stations, and today's secret ingredients are blood, sweat, and tears. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Waldenes's national animal is the Mountain Lion, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Waldenes is ranked 7,537^th in the world and 137^th in The East Pacific for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 474.93 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.