The Democratic States of Grunow is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its public floggings, vat-grown people, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate population of 1.401 billion Grunowians 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 medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Grundsleydale. The average income tax rate is 57.7%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Grunowian economy, worth 170 trillion dollars a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Book Publishing, and Beef-Based Agriculture. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 121,690 dollars, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

International humanitarian organisations are applauding the government for ending the death penalty, annual Formula One races bring the capital to a screeching halt, the nation has welcomed its expats back with open arms, and mystics are claiming that a simultaneous rise in scepticism and education budgets is correlation rather than causation. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Grunow's national animal is the Hammerhead Shark, which frolics freely in the nation's sparkling oceans.

Grunow is ranked 56,535^th in the world and 1,837^th in The North Pacific for Most Cheerful Citizens, with 51.48 Percentage Of Water Glasses Perceived Half-Full.