The Republic of Falling Behind- is a very large, safe nation, notable for its enslaved workforce, ban on automobiles, and disturbing lack of elderly people. The hard-nosed, cynical population of 430 million Falling Behind-ians 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, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Administration, and Healthcare. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 28.2%.

The strong Falling Behind-ian economy, worth 30.2 trillion Coins a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Trout Farming, and Basket Weaving. Black market activity is notable. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 70,329 Coins, with the richest citizens earning 7.8 times as much as the poorest.

Prisoners work-share to cut down rising costs of keeping them in jail, the experimental sculpture "Overtures In Dried Animal Dung" has been declared a national treasure, the government's fruit business reeks of rotting produce and corruption, and Falling Behind- City University is said to be the modern-day Tower of Babel. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Falling Behind-'s national animal is the Animal, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Falling Behind- is ranked 16,191^st in the world and 26^th in Charleslandia for Highest Unexpected Death Rate, scoring 108.77 on the Bus Surprisal Index.