The Federation of Centas is a massive, efficient nation, ruled by Allan C Harrington with an even hand, and renowned for its keen interest in outer space, compulsory military service, and ubiquitous missile silos. The hard-nosed, hard-working, humorless population of 2.457 billion Centasians are highly moralistic and fiercely conservative, in the sense that they tend to believe most things should be outlawed. People who have good jobs and work quietly at them are lauded; others are viewed with suspicion.

The relatively small, corrupt government juggles the competing demands of Industry, Education, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Centasi. The average income tax rate is 52.2%.

The frighteningly efficient Centasian economy, worth 531 trillion Centasian Cents a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Uranium Mining, and Retail. Black market activity is rampant. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an amazing 216,181 Centasian Cents, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 4.1 times as much as the poorest.

All guns must be registered, much of Centas's computer network is controlled by a rampant artificial intelligence, anti-government political posters adorn every building like wallpaper, and sick days are on the rise. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Centas's national animal is the Crow, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Centas is ranked 308,053^rd in the world and 1,009^th in The Frontier Sea for Highest Unexpected Death Rate, scoring 22.46 on the Bus Surprisal Index.