The United Kingdom of Aethelward is a huge, genial nation, renowned for its public floggings, punitive income tax rates, and devotion to social welfare. The compassionate, democratic, devout population of 202 million Aethelwardians enjoy great social freedoms and frequent elections, where the majority of the populace regularly votes to increase its benefits at the expense of various hapless minorities.

The large, socially-minded government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Defense. The average income tax rate is 59.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The Aethelwardian economy, worth 13.5 trillion Astras a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is broadly diversified, is led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Book Publishing, Tourism, and Arms Manufacturing. Average income is 66,767 Astras, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Polygamy is legal, there has been a rapid increase of noise complaints over the sound of buzzing bees, it is a common belief that a sport isn't sport if there are no decapitations, and physics lessons mostly involve talking about emotional management techniques. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Aethelward's national animal is the Phoenix, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Aethelward is ranked 183,691^st in the world and 290^th in The Kodiak Republic for Highest Food Quality, scoring 13.06 on the Meeshlin-Starr Index.