The Borderlands of Almander is a massive, genial nation, ruled by The Stag with an even hand, and renowned for its daily referendums, ban on automobiles, and punitive income tax rates. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 3.069 billion Almanderians enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The large, liberal, socially-minded government prioritizes Education, although Healthcare, Administration, and Environment are also considered important, while Defense and Spirituality are ignored. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Celetaria. The average income tax rate is 95.2%.

The frighteningly efficient Almanderian economy, worth 484 trillion Zorkmids a year, is highly specialized and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Tourism and Book Publishing. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 158,004 Zorkmids, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Welfare recipients are milking the government for all they've got, snitches get riches, the nation is ravaged by daily union strikes, and space research funding has hit a recent high while several military bases are being closed down. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Almander's national animal is the Lynx, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Almander is ranked 3,434^th in the world and 18^th in Refugia for Most Advanced Public Education, scoring 17,467.36 on the Edu-tellignce® Test Score.