[quote=@Aristo]
<Snipped quote by TheSovereignGrave>

I do love backwater states. :sun God forbid they're on the frontlines of the war with the Timluks! 
[/quote]

I wouldn't consider it a [i]backwater[/i], per se. I imagine it as being fairly wealthy since it owns a large amount of fertile land, but definitely currently being left behind technologically.

EDIT: And man is it difficult trying to find a nice looking coat of arms with skulls on it.