The Armed Republic of Black Powder is a large, orderly nation, notable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, pith helmet sales, and complete absence of social welfare. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless population of 123 million Black Powderians 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, corrupt, moralistic, well-organized government prioritizes Defense, although Law & Order, Industry, and Healthcare are also considered important, while Welfare and Public Transport aren't funded at all. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 39.0%.

The powerhouse Black Powderian economy, worth 10.7 trillion Bullets a year, is dominated by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Automobile Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Furniture Restoration. Black market activity is frequent. Average income is 86,835 Bullets, with the richest citizens earning 5.5 times as much as the poorest.

Skin-tone prom dresses are more unpopular than ever, tourists are denied entry because of a distant relative married to a Lilliputian, every citizen must submit to DNA testing to be eliminated from police inquiries, and a petition to improve Black Powderian literacy is mostly signed with cross-marks. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force. Black Powder's national animal is the Kalashnikov, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Black Powder is ranked 88,063^rd in the world and 6^th in The Grand Council of the Beard for Highest Poor Incomes, with 34,609.56 Standard Monetary Units.