The Republic of Balkorastan is a tiny, cultured nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service, punitive income tax rates, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, cynical, devout population of 14 million Balkos 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 large, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Spirituality, and Welfare. The average income tax rate is 54.5%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The Balko economy, worth 620 billion Balkorastani credits a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Basket Weaving industry, with major contributions from Beef-Based Agriculture, Information Technology, and Cheese Exports. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 44,301 Balkorastani credits, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.2 times as much as the poorest.

Sniffer dogs are trained to follow clouds of fruity-smelling vapor, discarded pennies litter the streets, children as young as twelve are conscripted into the armed forces, and teams of painters are converting road signs from horse lengths to kilometers. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Balkorastan's national animal is the Balkorastani double headed eagle, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Balkorastan is ranked 105,715^th in the world and 184^th in Christians for Most Eco-Friendly Governments, scoring 828.62 on the Dolphin Recycling Awareness Index.