The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows is a colossal, genial nation, ruled by John Koenig with an even hand, and remarkable for its rampant corporate plagiarism, zero percent divorce rate, and compulsory military service. The compassionate, democratic population of 5.036 billion Sorrowsians 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 enormous, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Nazarick. The average income tax rate is 93.9%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Sorrowsian economy, worth 737 trillion Minoes a year, is quite specialized and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism and Book Publishing. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 146,364 Minoes, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.2 times as much as the poorest.

UFO sightings are listed daily in the morning news, heavy industry must go to expensive lengths to dispose of waste, ignorance is considered a politically desirable quality, and earthquake sirens are a leading cause of hearing loss. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Obscure Sorrows's national animal is the lion, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Morii.

Obscure Sorrows is ranked 260,456^th in the world and 12,382^nd in the South Pacific for Highest Crime Rates, with 1.73 crimes per hour.