The Republic of May 4 is a very large, cultured nation, notable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, enslaved workforce, and frequent executions. The hard-nosed, devout population of 308 million May 4ians are highly moralistic and fiercely conservative, in the sense that they tend to believe most things should be outlawed. People who have good jobs and work quietly at them are lauded; others are viewed with suspicion.

The enormous, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Education, and Defense. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 66.2%.

The sizeable but inefficient May 4ian economy, worth 13.4 trillion Cards a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector is led by the Door-to-door Insurance Sales industry, with major contributions from Automobile Manufacturing, Woodchip Exports, and Retail. Average income is 43,437 Cards, with the richest citizens earning 8.6 times as much as the poorest.

Universities now offer degrees in cycling etiquette, nature reserves often contain artificial waterfalls and concrete paths, grinding bureaucracy has the international wheels of justice turning slowly, and politicians have to be granted day-release from prison to speak on bills. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. May 4's national animal is the Card, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

May 4 is ranked 329,281^st in the world and 91^st in Calendar for Largest Trout Fishing Sector, scoring -16.59 on the Nemo Depletion Efficiency Index.