The Matriarchy of Ulm 97 is a massive, orderly nation, remarkable for its ubiquitous missile silos, smutty television, and punitive income tax rates. The cynical, devout population of 1.839 billion Ulm 97ians are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The medium-sized, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Industry. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 67.9%.

The frighteningly efficient Ulm 97ian economy, worth 249 trillion francs a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Information Technology, and Automobile Manufacturing. Black market activity is frequent. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 135,577 francs, with the richest citizens earning 9.1 times as much as the poorest.

Not all rivers run to the sea, lawyers spend as much time preparing their make-up as they do their briefs, murder is sanctioned if the legal paperwork is filled out correctly, and the nation's reputation for treachery has left it sidelined on the international stage. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ulm 97's national animal is the cow, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Ulm 97 is ranked 247,550^th in the world and 240^th in Swabian autonomous region for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -5.67 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.