The Rogue Nation of Pondem is a mid-sized, socially progressive nation, notable for its compulsory military service, irreverence towards religion, and complete absence of social welfare. The hard-working, democratic population of 78 million Pondemians live in a state of perpetual fear, as a complete breakdown of social order has led to the rise of order through biker gangs.

The minute, pro-business government, or what there is of one, is dominated by the Department of Defense, with Law & Order, Healthcare, and Industry also on the agenda, while Spirituality and International Aid receive no funds. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 4.7%.

The strong Pondemian economy, worth 4.54 trillion quizzes a year, is driven almost entirely by the private sector, which is fairly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Pizza Delivery, Cheese Exports, and Beef-Based Agriculture. Average income is 58,184 quizzes, but there is an enormous disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 346,466 per year while the poor average 4,472, a ratio of 77.5 to 1.

Pet owners exercise their wufs at a snail's pace or risk prosecution. Crime is a serious problem, with the police force struggling against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Pondem's national animal is the wuf.

Pondem is ranked 312,499^th in the world and 8^th in Catopia for Largest Welfare Programs, scoring -5.48 on the Safety Net Mesh Density Rating.