The Alspring of Ratateague is a gargantuan, efficient nation, renowned for its prohibition of alcohol, otherworldly petting zoo, and anti-smoking policies. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful, devout population of 29.061 billion Ratatekkers love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized, socially-minded, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Holtmímir. The income tax rate is 100%.

The frighteningly efficient Ratatasque economy, worth an astonishing 12,636 trillion ʝarls a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Tourism industry, with major contributions from Information Technology, Book Publishing, and Basket Weaving. Average income is an amazing 434,817 ʝarls, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Films are funded in accordance with the volume of tears shed when reading the screenplay, the new Refuse Hills housing development is under construction, 10-year-olds who struggle with integrating by parts are considered slow learners, and the banshee wail foretells skies of death. Crime is totally unknown. Ratateague's national animal is the flying squirrel, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Ratateague is ranked 15^th in the world and 1^st in The Social Liberal Union for Nicest Citizens, with 274.7 average smiles per day.