The Precious Gemnation of Shirzcaun is a colossal, socially progressive nation, ruled by Evelyna Darklight with a fair hand, and renowned for its lack of airports, daily referendums, and keen interest in outer space. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 6.779 billion Shirzcaunians are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whomever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.

The large, liberal, socially-minded, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Education, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Zirconia. The income tax rate is 100%.

The frighteningly efficient Shirzcaunian economy, worth a remarkable 1,948 trillion Zircons a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Tourism and Book Publishing. Average income is an amazing 287,394 Zircons, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Polygraphs are relegated to the dungeon exhibit in castle museums, veteran cops reminisce over their heavy armor days, grannies get pulled over for knitting pullovers while driving, and there's a shortage of swinging hot spots as land development grinds to a halt. Crime is totally unknown. Shirzcaun's national animal is the Lobster, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans, and its national religion is Cult of Books.

Shirzcaun is ranked 175,555^th in the world and 39^th in Jeinnhezslhaunia for Largest Gambling Industry, scoring zero on the Kelly Criterion Productivity Index.