The Kingdom of Asterdel is a gargantuan, socially progressive nation, ruled by Barbara Schraeder with a fair hand, and remarkable for its anti-smoking policies, restrictive gun laws, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 25.762 billion Asterians love a good election, and the government gives them plenty of them. Universities tend to be full of students debating the merits of various civil and political rights, while businesses are tightly regulated and the wealthy viewed with suspicion.

The large, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Industry, and Environment. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Eidelvig. The average income tax rate is 98.5%.

The frighteningly efficient Asterian economy, worth a remarkable 5,605 trillion Marks a year, is led by the Tourism industry, with significant contributions from Book Publishing, Information Technology, and Basket Weaving. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an amazing 217,580 Marks, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Barbara Schraeder is famed for giving great back rubs, mantis shrimp studies is academia's fastest-growing field, elementary school students are required to master Bach's Chaconne in D before graduation, and the horniness of the great-horned Bear is considered a national priority. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Asterdel's national animal is the Bear, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Christianity.

Asterdel is ranked 273,713^th in the world and 81^st in Nordic Lands for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring -8.38 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.