The Watchfires of BE-1 is a titanic, orderly nation, remarkable for its compulsory military service, infamous sell-swords, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, cynical, devout population of 21.96 billion BE-1ians 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, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Education. The average income tax rate is 63.2%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The powerhouse BE-1ian economy, worth a remarkable 1,955 trillion $$s a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Beef-Based Agriculture industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, and Basket Weaving. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 89,033 $$s, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.3 times as much as the poorest.

Droves of former desperados are applying to join the border police, dog breeding has been banned in accordance with recent animal experimentation laws, counselors diagnose their clients with motherboard complexes, and election ballot papers are so long that unused ones are recycled as toilet roll. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. BE-1's national animal is the Death's-head Hawkmoth, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

BE-1 is ranked 126,837^th in the world and 1^st in Bag End for Largest Cheese Export Sector, scoring 2,599.94 on the Mozzarella Productivity Index.