The Merchant Federation of Durius is a gargantuan, cultured nation, ruled by Serene Doge with an even hand, and remarkable for its rum-swilling pirates, national health service, and sprawling nuclear power plants. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic, cheerful population of 10.281 billion Duriusians enjoy extensive civil freedoms, particularly in social issues, while business tends to be more regulated.

The tiny, liberal government juggles the competing demands of Education, Industry, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Grand City of Durius. The average income tax rate is 13.0%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Duriusian economy, worth a remarkable 2,488 trillion Cugnoes a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Retail, and Book Publishing. Average income is an amazing 242,024 Cugnoes, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.8 times as much as the poorest.

Elderly citizens regularly buy posh multimillion-Cugno mansions, airport users are more worried about radiation than terrorism, fishermen take out second mortgages to afford the yearly fishing permit, and one tree's worth of paperwork accompanies each imported log of timber. Crime, especially youth-related, is pervasive, with the police force struggling against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Durius's national animal is the Magpie, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Durius is ranked 5,486^th in the world and 1^st in Collis for Largest Publishing Industry, scoring 18,027.02 on the Bella Potter Productivity e-Index.