The United Shogunate of Astartia is a gargantuan, socially progressive nation, ruled by the Shogun with an even hand, and renowned for its sprawling nuclear power plants, otherworldly petting zoo, and irreverence towards religion. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cheerful population of 21.301 billion Astartians 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 tiny, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Industry, Education, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Adaremia. Income tax is unheard of.

The frighteningly efficient Astartian economy, worth a remarkable 8,618 trillion coins a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Tourism, Retail, and Arms Manufacturing. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an amazing 404,597 coins, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.6 times as much as the poorest.

Requests to "pass the salt" are supported by tank divisions, fraternities are notorious for drunken hooliganism, tourists visit Astartia to mass-moon Astartian politicians, and half the Astartian Army consists of Brasilistani contractors. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Astartia's national animal is the dove, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is astartianism.

Astartia is ranked 601^st in the world and 3^rd in Portugal for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 1,140.11 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.