The Republic of Ulm 289 is a massive, orderly nation, renowned for its smutty television, keen interest in outer space, and parental licensing program. The compassionate, cynical, devout population of 1.46 billion Ulm 289ians 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 medium-sized, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Administration. The average income tax rate is 68.6%.

The frighteningly efficient Ulm 289ian economy, worth 160 trillion Ducats a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Tourism, and Furniture Restoration. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 110,095 Ducats, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 4.4 times as much as the poorest.

Travelers often bring empty plastic bottles on Air Ulm 289 flights to avoid the pay lavatories, the government is pouring money into 'Operation Enduring Democracy', the nation is infamous for its mass graves of discarded robots, and the nation's children are known for being even more apathetic and cynical than their parents. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ulm 289's national animal is the Bear, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Ulm 289 is ranked 83,671^st in the world and 369^th in Swabian autonomous region for Most Eco-Friendly Governments, scoring 1,175.75 on the Dolphin Recycling Awareness Index.