The Republic of Ulm 353 is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its public floggings, frequent executions, and punitive income tax rates. The compassionate, cynical, devout population of 1.464 billion Ulm 353ians are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The medium-sized, corrupt, socially-minded, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Industry. The average income tax rate is 68.8%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Ulm 353ian economy, worth 174 trillion Ducats a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a slick, highly efficient, fairly diversified black market in Tourism, Arms Manufacturing, Trout Farming, and Cheese Exports. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is an impressive 119,317 Ducats, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.7 times as much as the poorest.

Burnt-out forty-foot-tall wicker men dot the countryside, a PhD just ain't what it used to be, the military struggles with recruitment, and police officers that upset their bosses get assigned to 24 hour stakeouts of bike sheds. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ulm 353's national animal is the Bear, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Ulm 353 is ranked 45,110^th in the world and 253^rd in Swabian autonomous region for Highest Average Incomes, with 119,317.87 Standard Monetary Units.