The Republic of Taustrian Desert is a mid-sized, orderly nation, notable for its punitive income tax rates, devotion to social welfare, and stringent health and safety legislation. The cynical, devout population of 72 million Taustrian Desertians are ruled with an iron fist by the dictatorship government, which ensures that no-one outside the party gets too rich. In their personal lives, however, citizens are relatively unoppressed; it remains to be seen whether this is because the government genuinely cares about its people, or if it hasn't gotten around to stamping out civil rights yet.

The large, socially-minded, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Welfare, Spirituality, and Education. The average income tax rate is 55.6%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but sluggish Taustrian Desertian economy, worth 2.07 trillion florins a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is fairly diversified, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Door-to-door Insurance Sales, Cheese Exports, and Woodchip Exports. Average income is 28,767 florins, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Taustrian Desert's national animal is the turtle.

Taustrian Desert is ranked 108,330^th in the world and 6,125^th in Osiris for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring 2,077.66 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.