The Grand Duchy of Liesse is a large, orderly nation, renowned for its museums and concert halls, frequent executions, and unlimited-speed roads. The hard-nosed, cynical population of 127 million Liesseans 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 medium-sized, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Administration, and Industry. The average income tax rate is 48.1%.

The all-consuming Liessean economy, worth 11.4 trillion Royals a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Beef-Based Agriculture, and Uranium Mining. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 90,100 Royals, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.1 times as much as the poorest.

Collisions between bicycles and carnival floats are on the rise, a common response to government PSAs is "well, DUH, obviously", ex-cons are paid to remain law-abidingly dull, and elite teams of assassins have been sent into Brasilistan. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Liesse's national animal is the Horse.

Liesse is ranked 64,728^th in the world and 13^th in Rosaria for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 147.82 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.