The Kingdom of Istavanien is a tiny, safe nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service. The compassionate population of 8 million Istavanienians have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Education, and Law & Order. The average income tax rate is 32.7%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The Istavanienian economy, worth 383 billion Kronor a year, is fairly diversified and dominated by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Cheese Exports, Basket Weaving, and Uranium Mining. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 47,830 Kronor, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.5 times as much as the poorest.

Istavanienians firmly believe that their heroes never farted or popped their pimples, structures are raised on promises, no one is quite sure what many government officials look like, and cotton candy made from genuine cotton cellulose doesn't quite satisfy. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Istavanien's national animal is the Moose, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Istavanien is ranked 168,634^th in the world and 742^nd in Europe for Smartest Citizens, with 27.52 quips per hour.