The Allied States of Maratisia is a mid-sized, safe nation, remarkable for its keen interest in outer space, absence of drug laws, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate population of 89 million Maratisians enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The large, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Welfare. The average income tax rate is 67.8%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but underdeveloped Maratisian economy, worth 3.44 trillion bells a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is broadly diversified, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Book Publishing, Pizza Delivery, and Woodchip Exports. Average income is 38,647 bells, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Even the nation's brussel sprouts are delicious and nutritious, mosh pits are a common phenomenon in Leader's political rallies, decades-serving politicians are now both out of touch and out of time, and reflex hammers and sickle cell research are uniform comrades. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Maratisia's national animal is the chimera, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Maratisia is ranked 14,755^th in the world and 78^th in Carcassonne for Nicest Citizens, with 25.69 average smiles per day.