The Incorporated States of Ulm 128 is a massive, orderly nation, renowned for its prohibition of alcohol, pith helmet sales, and punitive income tax rates. The hard-nosed, cynical, devout population of 1.914 billion Ulm 128ians 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 government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Industry. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 65.4%.

The frighteningly efficient Ulm 128ian economy, worth 275 trillion dollars a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Beef-Based Agriculture, and Tourism. Black market activity is notable. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 143,732 dollars, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 446,549 per year while the poor average 35,595, a ratio of 12.5 to 1.

Rural communities are all but disenfranchised as politicians focus all their attention on winning the deciding urban votes, airplane passengers who purchase "basic economy" tickets are often assigned seats in the lavatory, asking 'does my bum look big in this?' leads to 30 hours of self-esteem classes, and tweenage nobles order army regiments to do their homework for them. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ulm 128's national animal is the swan, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Ulm 128 is ranked 211,689^th in the world and 177^th in Swabian autonomous region for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -3.13 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.