The Republic of -Astoria is a gargantuan, safe nation, ruled by Prime Minister Robert Paisley with a fair hand, and notable for its museums and concert halls, punitive income tax rates, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, democratic population of 11.152 billion Astorians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The enormous, liberal, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Healthcare, Education, and Administration. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Liskerry. The average income tax rate is 81.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Astorian economy, worth 907 trillion pynts a year, is quite specialized and mostly made up of the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism. Average income is 81,402 pynts, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Tourists call Astorian beach towns "the fine coastline", companies have begun running campaigns to stop people from remembering their brand name, weird kids who eat bugs are breaking the law, and funerals are often rudely interrupted by juggling clowns shouting for volunteers from the audience. Crime is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. -Astoria's national animal is the marten, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

-Astoria is ranked 28,854^th in the world and 30^th in International Democratic Union for Most Scientifically Advanced, scoring 225.3 on the Kurzweil Singularity Index.