The Federal Republic of Asterborne is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Franz with a fair hand, and remarkable for its keen interest in outer space, sprawling nuclear power plants, and stringent health and safety legislation. The compassionate, democratic population of 1.132 billion Asterborneans are free to do what they want with their own bodies, and vote for whomever they like in elections; if they go into business, however, they are regulated to within an inch of their lives.

The medium-sized, liberal, socially-minded, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Northford. The average income tax rate is 71.5%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Asterbornean economy, worth 155 trillion dollars a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Tourism, Book Publishing, and Beef-Based Agriculture. State-owned companies are common. Average income is an impressive 137,645 dollars, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Stranded mountaineers can watch livestreamed footage of their rescues, the Asterborne Mental Asylum Party have recently won seats in parliament, the government is making attempts at curtailing the flood of spam emails with little progress, and therapists dispense hugs for heroin dealers and cuddles for crackheads. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Asterborne's national animal is the tamaraw, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Asterborne is ranked 109,551^st in the world and 1,998^th in The East Pacific for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring 1,818.53 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.