The Republic of Middle Platypus is a huge, efficient nation, remarkable for its rum-swilling pirates, compulsory military service, and suspicion of poets. The hard-nosed, hard-working population of 455 million Middle Platypusians have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The tiny government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Defense. The average income tax rate is 8.0%.

The thriving Middle Platypusian economy, worth 39.5 trillion florins a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with major contributions from Retail, Tourism, and Automobile Manufacturing. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 86,908 florins, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.5 times as much as the poorest.

Serial commas clarify the relationship between one's lackeys, the taxpayers, and kinsfolk, politicians tend to speak more loudly and slowly these days, evenings at university debating societies often end with everyone acknowledging both sides may well be right, and the Snapgram channel "Embarrassing Baby Leader Pics" has made Leader's mom a celebrity. Crime, especially youth-related, is relatively low. Middle Platypus's national animal is the Kangaroo Mouse, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Middle Platypus is ranked 25,330^th in the world and 22^nd in Karma for Largest Automobile Manufacturing Sector, scoring 5,416.91 on the Henry Ford Productivity Index.