The United States of Printer490 is a colossal, cultured nation, notable for its public floggings, triple-decker prams, and spontaneously combusting cars. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless, devout population of 5.402 billion Printer490ians 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 large, corrupt, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Industry, and Administration. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 85.8%.

The frighteningly efficient Printer490ian economy, worth 770 trillion cards a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Automobile Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Retail, Woodchip Exports, and Uranium Mining. Black market activity is extensive. Average income is an impressive 142,683 cards, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 448,848 per year while the poor average 34,704, a ratio of 12.9 to 1.

Young children are regularly seen wagering pocket money at blackjack tables, research into 'designer babies' is banned, almost all of the nation's water is piped into the country from abroad for exorbitant prices, and the new coalition government is so large nobody knows where it begins. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Printer490's national animal is the legendary, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Printer490 is ranked 54,916^th in the world and 1,057^th in Two for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring 3,629.41 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.