The State of Eric Niessen is a gargantuan, safe nation, ruled by the Governor with a fair hand, and notable for its burgeoning deer population. The hard-nosed, democratic population of 35.268 billion Eric Niessenians enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

The enormous, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Industry, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Capital Heights. The average income tax rate is 47.9%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The Eric Niessenian economy, worth a remarkable 1,180 trillion betales a year, is highly specialized and led by the Automobile Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Beef-Based Agriculture, and Woodchip Exports. Black market activity is notable. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 33,465 betales, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.2 times as much as the poorest.

The automotive industry soaks up huge government handouts, the government is avowedly atheist, Eric Niessen has designated Capital Heights as its capital city, and The Governor has just been declared ruler of Eric Niessen in an international press conference. Crime is almost non-existent, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Eric Niessen's national animal is the deer.

Eric Niessen is ranked 293,174^th in the world and 550^th in State for Highest Disposable Incomes, with 17,435.44 Standard Monetary Units.