The Republic of East Harkway is a huge, genial nation, remarkable for its keen interest in outer space, multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, and national health service. The compassionate, democratic population of 448 million Harkians love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.

The enormous, socially-minded, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Capybara City. The average income tax rate is 80.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but underdeveloped East Harkwayian economy, worth 17.1 trillion harks a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is highly specialized, is mostly made up of the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing and Cheese Exports. Average income is 38,125 harks, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

East Harkwayian police have to pay out of their own pockets for bulletproof vests, any secret that gets off someone's chest is promptly replaced, manufacturers of biodegradable plastics have to wait for months to show evidence of organic decomposition, and the government confiscates candy from babies for 'the greater good' of the nation. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. East Harkway's national animal is the Capybara, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

East Harkway is ranked 32,338^th in the world and 270^th in 10000 Islands for Most Cheerful Citizens, with 52.44 Percentage Of Water Glasses Perceived Half-Full.