The Independent State of Shangla is a massive, genial nation, ruled by President Andrew Lang with an even hand, and remarkable for its keen interest in outer space, daily referendums, and irreverence towards religion. The compassionate, hard-working population of 2.097 billion Shanglans have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The relatively small government juggles the competing demands of Education, Industry, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Shangla. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 14.2%.

The frighteningly efficient Shanglao economy, worth 202 trillion Shanglao Dollars a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Information Technology, Retail, and Book Publishing. Average income is 96,654 Shanglao Dollars, with the richest citizens earning 6.3 times as much as the poorest.

Plain-clothes police officers follow Dàguó tourists everywhere they go, nose plugs are the latest Shanglao fashion accessory, President Andrew Lang can be seen doing doughnuts in a new Rambogini, and the government's official stance on religion is that it is so very silly. Crime is totally unknown. Shangla's national animal is the Panda, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is No Religion.

Shangla is ranked 118,523^rd in the world and 55^th in Union of Allied States for Largest Manufacturing Sector, scoring 10,145.58 on the Gooback-Jerbs Productivity Index.