The Federal Republic of Greater Taggart is a huge, efficient nation, renowned for its compulsory military service, keen interest in outer space, and compulsory gun ownership. The hard-nosed, democratic population of 711 million Taggartarians enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Education, and Defense. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Norkippa. The average income tax rate is 35.0%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The thriving Greater Taggartian economy, worth 64.3 trillion Steeles a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a slick, highly efficient, fairly diversified black market in Tourism, Arms Manufacturing, Basket Weaving, and Retail. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is 90,386 Steeles, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The nation is ravaged by daily union strikes, children are brainwashed at a young age to accept "love and peace!" as a way of life, state-manufactured hammers and sickles are here to stay, and almost half of the child population live rough on the streets. Crime is totally unknown. Greater Taggart's national animal is the Griffin, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Greater Taggart is ranked 219,277^th in the world and 91^st in Blackstar for Most Politically Apathetic Citizens, with 44.48 Whatever.