The Book of Lamentations is a colossal, socially progressive nation, remarkable for its burgeoning cobra population. The hard-working, cynical population of 3.541 billion Lamentationsians are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Welfare. The average income tax rate is 20.2%.

The Lamentationsian economy, worth 163 trillion guilders a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Soda Sales industry, with major contributions from Beef-Based Agriculture, Arms Manufacturing, and Pizza Delivery. Average income is 46,207 guilders, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 4.1 times as much as the poorest.

Conductors wield diamond-encrusted batons to fit in with their freshly gilded surroundings, the tenet of free speech is held dear, the mining industry is making inroads into environmentally sensitive areas, and citizens are enjoying a recent large cut in taxes. Crime is moderate. Lamentations's national animal is the cobra.

Lamentations is ranked 163,034^th in the world and 1^st in Christianity for Highest Disposable Incomes, with 36,873.71 Standard Monetary Units.