The Armed Republic of Cetheria is a large, cultured nation, remarkable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, frequent executions, and otherworldly petting zoo. The hard-nosed, democratic population of 198 million Cetherians 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 government juggles the competing demands of Education, Healthcare, and Administration. The average income tax rate is 67.4%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The Cetherian economy, worth 11.8 trillion Shiny Platinum Medals a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is quite specialized, is led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Door-to-door Insurance Sales, and Basket Weaving. Average income is 59,557 Shiny Platinum Medals, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

The stock market has been destroyed for its own protection, government institutions' refrigerators are filled to the brim with baby bottles, a niche industry catering to S&M enthusiasts has sprung up, and the government decides its policies by observing the flight of birds. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Cetheria's national animal is the Rat, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Cetheria is ranked 49,851^st in the world and 134^th in Refugia for Longest Average Lifespans, with 83.88 years.