The United Democracy of Matterland is a gargantuan, genial nation, ruled by Xanderal with an even hand, and notable for its irreverence towards religion, punitive income tax rates, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate population of 20.675 billion Matterlandians enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The government — a sprawling, bureaucracy-choked morass — juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Solace. The average income tax rate is 97.7%.

The powerhouse Matterlandian economy, worth a remarkable 2,718 trillion Matts a year, is highly specialized and mostly made up of the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology and Tourism. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 131,486 Matts, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Academics have a bone to pick with free market entrepreneurs, organised sports are frowned upon as frivolous, extreme political groups are outlawed, and constipated disaster survivors are rapidly learning that MRE is short for "Meal Requiring Enemas". Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Matterland's national animal is the Bear, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Matterland is ranked 6,284^th in the world and 114^th in 10000 Islands for Largest Publishing Industry, scoring 15,480.37 on the Bella Potter Productivity e-Index.