The Commonwealth of Astra Prime is a titanic, cultured nation, ruled by Lance Hornsby with an iron fist, and remarkable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, zero percent divorce rate, and complete absence of social welfare. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 11.574 billion Astrans are ruled with an iron fist by the corrupt, dictatorship government, which oppresses anyone who isn't on the board of a Fortune 500 company. Large corporations tend to be above the law, and use their financial clout to gain ever-increasing government benefits at the expense of the poor and unemployed.

The relatively small, corrupt, moralistic government juggles the competing demands of Industry, Defense, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Alexandria. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 1.4%.

The frighteningly efficient Astra Primean economy, worth a remarkable 4,104 trillion gold coins a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Retail industry, with major contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Book Publishing, and Soda Sales. Black market activity is frequent. Average income is an amazing 354,627 gold coins, but there is a large disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 1,440,761 per year while the poor average 58,026, a ratio of 24.8 to 1.

Landfills fill the land, public urination is on the increase, there's more pink stuff on sale these days, and parents must decide between buying food and taking their children to the park. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Astra Prime's national animal is the sea dragon, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Talos.

Astra Prime is ranked 252,074^th in the world and 1,993^rd in the West Pacific for Highest Unexpected Death Rate, scoring 27.87 on the Bus Surprisal Index.