The Republic of Galdona is a huge, safe nation, remarkable for its daily referendums, punitive income tax rates, and suspicion of poets. The compassionate, democratic population of 577 million Galdonans enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The enormous, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Education, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Echelon. The average income tax rate is 75.4%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The very strong Galdonan economy, worth 40.9 trillion gilders a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Book Publishing, and Arms Manufacturing. Average income is 70,916 gilders, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Orphanages are closing their doors as the government forces parents to actually raise their children, wealthy pranksters dump refuse on unsuspecting citizens from up high, colleges adhere to rigid ethnic quotas for admissions, and every workday begins with group therapy. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Galdona's national animal is the falcon, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Galdona is ranked 25,723^rd in the world and 671^st in the South Pacific for Most Cheerful Citizens, with 52.91 Percentage Of Water Glasses Perceived Half-Full.