The Collective Joke of Ithania is a titanic, safe nation, remarkable for its national health service, ubiquitous missile silos, and smutty television. The hard-nosed, democratic population of 17.549 billion Ithanians 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 large government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Industry. The average income tax rate is 74.4%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Ithanian economy, worth a remarkable 1,799 trillion Irrelevants a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing, Automobile Manufacturing, and Soda Sales. Average income is an impressive 102,535 Irrelevants, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Internet searches for the inventor of the three-wheeled steam-powered Ithanian weed picker are way up, a primitive society is being eroded as its youth flock to the modern world, things are looking up for patients accidentally prescribed erectile dysfunction medication, and parents dread their examinations more than their children. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ithania's national animal is the Phoenix, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Ithania is ranked 13,210^th in the world and 238^th in Europe for Smartest Citizens, with 83.85 quips per hour.