The Holy Empire of Richard is a gargantuan, efficient nation, ruled by Pharaoh with an even hand, and remarkable for its compulsory military service, keen interest in outer space, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate, hard-working, humorless, devout population of 31.704 billion Richardians have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and look forward to their next free and open election, to be held on an as-yet unannounced date.

The relatively small government is primarily concerned with Education, although Defense and Industry are also considered important, while Social Policy and Spirituality receive no funds. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Richard City. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 36.6%.

The frighteningly efficient Richardian economy, worth a remarkable 5,232 trillion Platinum Dollars a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Automobile Manufacturing, and Book Publishing. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 165,035 Platinum Dollars, with the richest citizens earning 9.1 times as much as the poorest.

New cases of Asbestosis are cropping up as quickly as hospitals can deal with them, the suicide rate mysteriously skyrockets during census years, the nation's orphanages and maternity wards have been nicknamed 'the Killbot Factories', and many aides in Pharaoh's office are known to be serial jaywalkers. Crime is totally unknown. Richard's national animal is the Hell Cat, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is still undecided.

Richard is ranked 89,374^th in the world and 23^rd in Texas for Largest Welfare Programs, scoring 1,520.79 on the Safety Net Mesh Density Rating.