The Republic of Marek1 is a huge, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its avowedly heterosexual populace, triple-decker prams, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, devout population of 298 million Marek1ians 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 medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Administration, Healthcare, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of mmmmaluch racer. The average income tax rate is 39.9%.

The very strong Marek1ian economy, worth 20.7 trillion mareks a year, is dominated by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Door-to-door Insurance Sales, Basket Weaving, and Furniture Restoration. Black market activity is frequent. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 69,591 mareks, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 4.9 times as much as the poorest.

The men in trenchcoats hanging around playgrounds are actually police officers, political hopefuls must announce their intentions decades in advance to accommodate extensive background checks, biker gangs and fashionistas are converting to Violetism en masse, and sales of disinfectant wipes have skyrocketed. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Marek1's national animal is the ant, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Marek1 is ranked 85,395^th in the world and 136^th in The Region That Has No Big Banks for Most Subsidized Industry, scoring 1,962.16 on the Gilded Widget Scale.