The Principality of Parentheses is a colossal, efficient nation, notable for its public floggings, keen interest in outer space, and zero percent divorce rate. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless population of 2.707 billion Parenthesesians 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, corrupt, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Nooga. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 52.9%.

The frighteningly efficient Parenthesesian economy, worth 348 trillion legendaries a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Woodchip Exports, and Furniture Restoration. Black market activity is extensive. Average income is an impressive 128,893 legendaries, with the richest citizens earning 8.2 times as much as the poorest.

Music award shows include surprise polygraph segments, the main interest rates change daily based on the latest news story, little children cry as their rainbow drawings are seized by the Straight-Thought Police, and forty-year-old men are asked for their ID before watching the latest pony cartoon movies. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Parentheses's national animal is the puppet, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Parentheses is ranked 185,415^th in the world and 121^st in International Puppet Storage for Largest Populations, with 2.71 billion capita.