The Republic of TarTarica is a large, environmentally stunning nation, remarkable for its burgeoning Budgie population. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic, devout population of 50 million TarTaricans enjoy a sensible mix of personal and economic freedoms, while the political process is open and the people's right to vote held sacrosanct.

The large, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Spirituality, Welfare, and Education. The average income tax rate is 40.1%.

The TarTarican economy, worth 2.02 trillion Cookies a year, is led by the Basket Weaving industry, with major contributions from Woodchip Exports, Cheese Exports, and Arms Manufacturing. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 40,339 Cookies, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 3.1 times as much as the poorest.

Military spending is on the increase, a favorite "life hack" for gap year backpackers is to pretend to be homeless for government handouts, thieves find battery shops juicier targets than banks, and foreign musicians that Leader dislikes are turned away at the border. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. TarTarica's national animal is the Budgie, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

TarTarica is ranked 81,340^th in the world and 2,317^th in The North Pacific for Most Cultured, scoring 68 on the Snufflebottom-Wiggendum Pentatonic Scale.