The Republic of Bybrook is a tiny, cultured nation, remarkable for its absence of drug laws, devotion to social welfare, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, devout population of 8 million Bybrookians are fiercely patriotic and enjoy great social equality; they tend to view other, more capitalist countries as somewhat immoral and corrupt.

The enormous, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Education, and Administration. The average income tax rate is 75.0%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The basket case Bybrookian economy, worth 125 billion Credits a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Woodchip Exports industry, with major contributions from Cheese Exports, Furniture Restoration, and Soda Sales. Average income is 15,666 Credits, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Conductors wield diamond-encrusted batons to fit in with their freshly gilded surroundings, 42 is the answer to life the universe and the new bus route into Bybrook City, the new 'Who Wants To Be A Politician' election debate auditions are more popular than the debates themselves, and the government's fruit business reeks of rotting produce and corruption. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Bybrook's national animal is the Wren, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Bybrook is ranked 264,677^th in the world and 1^st in Westernesse Union for Rudest Citizens, with 22.48 insults per minute.