The Burnt World of Athas is a gargantuan, efficient nation, ruled by Tithian of Mericles with an iron fist, and remarkable for its museums and concert halls, anti-smoking policies, and free-roaming dinosaurs. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless population of 27.176 billion Athasians are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The medium-sized, corrupt, well-organized government is primarily concerned with Defense, although Environment, Education, and Industry are also considered important, while Welfare and Social Policy aren't funded at all. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Tyr. The average income tax rate is 96.3%.

The frighteningly efficient Athasian economy, worth an astonishing 12,993 trillion gold pieces a year, is mostly comprised of black market activity, especially in Arms Manufacturing, Gambling, Retail, and Tourism. Average income is an amazing 478,122 gold pieces, with the richest citizens earning 7.0 times as much as the poorest.

The armed forces are locked in an expensive and bloody war abroad to stamp out possible terrorists, the public health bureaucracy is wrapped in miles of red tape, male cubicle workers stand up every time a woman enters the room, and kids looking for shark teeth have become ancient history. Crime, especially youth-related, is so common that it is unusual to encounter someone following the law, with the police force struggling against a lack of funding and a high mortality rate. Athas's national animal is the Thri-kreen, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is Psionics.

Athas is ranked 330,889^th in the world and 4^th in Athas for Largest Automobile Manufacturing Sector, scoring -25.65 on the Henry Ford Productivity Index.