The Queendom of Ciellan is a large, safe nation, remarkable for its keen interest in outer space, punitive income tax rates, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, cynical, devout population of 68 million Swanborne are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The enormous, corrupt, socially-minded, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Spirituality, Law & Order, and Administration. The average income tax rate is 68.9%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The sizeable but stagnant Swanborne economy, worth 1.23 trillion Plumes a year, is quite specialized and led by the Cheese Exports industry, with major contributions from Book Publishing, Tourism, and Gambling. Black market activity is frequent. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 18,072 Plumes, and distributed extremely evenly, with practically no difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Doctors prescribe medicines but they rarely dispense hope or compassion, the nation's first space rocket -- sponsored by Eckie-Ecola and shaped like an enormous soda bottle -- is being developed, extraordinary tribunals try accused financial criminals, and most academic research has ground to a halt. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ciellan's national animal is the Swan, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Ciellan is ranked 86,659^th in the world and 1^st in Paidi Kyknos for Most Primitive, scoring 19.18 on the Scary Big Number Scale.