The Yastreovakian Federation of Merlovich is a huge, cultured nation, remarkable for its public floggings, frequent executions, and devotion to social welfare. The hard-working population of 548 million Merlovichans 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. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Prochny. The average income tax rate is 49.4%.

The frighteningly efficient Merlovichian economy, worth 60.4 trillion Merlovichan Dollars a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Trout Farming, Tourism, and Arms Manufacturing. Average income is an impressive 110,235 Merlovichan Dollars, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.9 times as much as the poorest.

Doctors prescribe medicines but they rarely dispense hope or compassion, taking hostages is a great way to influence government policy, rural communities are all but disenfranchised as politicians focus all their attention on winning the deciding urban votes, and police drones follow every suspected Peeping Tom. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Merlovich's national animal is the Bison, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Merlovich is ranked 28,912^th in the world and 813^th in The East Pacific for Most Cultured, scoring 76 on the Snufflebottom-Wiggendum Pentatonic Scale.