The Republic of Starlight Ares is a massive, efficient nation, notable for its state-planned economy, avowedly heterosexual populace, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, cynical, devout population of 2.382 billion Starlight Aresians are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The large, corrupt, moralistic, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Education. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 71.8%.

The all-consuming Starlight Aresian economy, worth 219 trillion lotuses a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a slick, highly efficient, highly specialized black market in Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, Tourism, and Woodchip Exports. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is 92,193 lotuses, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 299,888 per year while the poor average 21,353, a ratio of 14.0 to 1.

Elections have become procedural nightmares due to voters persistently rejecting candidates, they unpaved paradise and tore up a parking lot (ooh, bop bop bop), Leader is worshipped as a god, and politicians have tenure. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Starlight Ares's national animal is the moonlark, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Starlight Ares is ranked 34,806^th in the world and 145^th in eta for Highest Average Tax Rates, with 71.79 Effective Tax Rate.