The State of Eckhardt is a gargantuan, socially progressive nation, renowned for its complete lack of prisons and absence of drug laws. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic population of 28.562 billion Eckhardtians are effectively ruled by a group of massive corporations, who run for political office and provide their well-off citizens with world-class goods and services. Their poorer citizens, however, are mostly starving to death while being urged to go out and get real jobs. The populace has reasonably extensive civil rights, although these are mostly aimed at allowing them to buy whatever they like.

The relatively small, outspoken government prioritizes Spirituality, with Welfare and Industry also on the agenda, while Law & Order and Defense aren't funded at all. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Westminster. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 10.3%.

The very strong Eckhardtian economy, worth a remarkable 1,280 trillion betales a year, is quite specialized and led by the Gambling industry, with major contributions from Beef-Based Agriculture, Woodchip Exports, and Information Technology. Average income is 44,844 betales, with the richest citizens earning 9.8 times as much as the poorest.

Voting is voluntary, young children are regularly seen wagering pocket money at blackjack tables, and Eckhardt has designated Westminster as its capital city. Crime is a problem, perhaps because of the country's complete lack of prisons. Eckhardt's national animal is the deer.

Eckhardt is ranked 239,765^th in the world and 1^st in Eckhardt for Most Compassionate Citizens, scoring 40.78 on the Kitten Softness Rating.