The Adventures of Herlock Sholmes is a massive, safe nation, ruled by Herlock Sholmes with an even hand, and remarkable for its museums and concert halls, complete lack of prisons, and keen interest in outer space. The compassionate, democratic population of 3.454 billion Herlock Sholmesians enjoy extensive civil rights and enjoy a level of social equality free from the usual accompanying government corruption.

The enormous, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Welfare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Baker City. The average income tax rate is 80.5%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The very strong Herlock Sholmesian economy, worth 255 trillion pounds a year, is quite specialized and led by the Book Publishing industry, with major contributions from Tourism, Information Technology, and Door-to-door Insurance Sales. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 73,887 pounds, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Space shuttles regularly launch rubbish into space, orphans would rather live their life of luxury than be adopted by prospective parents, Herlock Sholmes's children are widely acknowledged as the most foul-mouthed in the region, and Maxtopian villagers starve by the time Herlock Sholmesian officials even file the appropriate paperwork needed to help them. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Herlock Sholmes's national animal is the hare, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Herlock Sholmes is ranked 138,754^th in the world and 3,446^th in Ambition for Largest Populations, with 3.45 billion capita.