The Imperial Systems of Astergea is a mammoth, orderly nation, ruled by Emperor Aerinarys Taeltaris Rahnaeros with an iron fist, and remarkable for its frequent executions, compulsory military service, and complete absence of social welfare. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 5.904 billion Astergeans are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

The tiny, corrupt, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Spirituality. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Valtherion. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 7.2%.

The strong Astergean economy, worth 376 trillion Crowns a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Gambling industry, with major contributions from Uranium Mining, Basket Weaving, and Automobile Manufacturing. Average income is 63,768 Crowns, with the richest citizens earning 6.1 times as much as the poorest.

Ignorance is considered a politically desirable quality, popular candidates who don't suffer last-second political scandals tend to get fished out of the Valtherion River, the nation's navy has been named the scourge of the seven thousand seas, and the newest East Lebatuckese coins have "long live East Lebatuck" on heads and "death to Astergea" on tails. Crime is a problem, possibly because it is difficult to make it through a day without breaking one of the country's many regulations. Astergea's national animal is the Unicorn, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Astergea is ranked 63,735^th in the world and 206^th in Starlight for Most Cultured, scoring 69 on the Snufflebottom-Wiggendum Pentatonic Scale.