The Democratic Republic of Zolotaya is a colossal, efficient nation, renowned for its pith helmet sales, frequent executions, and punitive income tax rates. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless population of 3.535 billion Zolotayans 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, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Zolotograd. The average income tax rate is 51.5%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Zolotayan economy, worth 537 trillion Zolotayan Rubles 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 large, well-organized, broadly diversified black market in Information Technology, Arms Manufacturing, Retail, and Beef-Based Agriculture. 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 151,928 Zolotayan Rubles, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.8 times as much as the poorest.

Getting your license is a rite of passage for young adults, the government is said to have a martyrdom complex, scientists on maritime expeditions return with a healthy glow, and political loyalty is enforced by way of chemical addiction. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Zolotaya's national animal is the Moose, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is State Atheism.

Zolotaya is ranked 19,878^th in the world and 47^th in the Plains of Perdition for Largest Black Market, with 169 trillion Standard Monetary Units.