The Backward Republic of Ukiah is a gargantuan, efficient nation, ruled by Mister Hedgehog with an even hand, and remarkable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, daily referendums, and absence of drug laws. The hard-nosed population of 22.636 billion Ukiahans 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 prioritizes Industry, with Administration, Education, and Law & Order also on the agenda, while Social Policy and International Aid are ignored. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Drawback City. The average income tax rate is 29.1%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Ukiahian economy, worth a remarkable 2,110 trillion zens a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Retail industry, with major contributions from Beef-Based Agriculture, Information Technology, and Book Publishing. Black market activity is frequent. State-owned companies are common. Average income is 93,232 zens, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Pet loving officers arrest citizens who don't give their dogs enough biscuits, Ukiahans seem to be catching more chills, the amount welfare recipients spend on fertilizer has exploded, and older citizens lament over the loss of law and order. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Ukiah's national animal is the hedgehog, which can occasionally be seen sifting through garbage in the nation's cities, and its national religion is Zen Buddhism.

Ukiah is ranked 69,801^st in the world and 4^th in Haiku for Largest Gambling Industry, scoring 3,375.71 on the Kelly Criterion Productivity Index.