The Celestial Mandate of Imperium California is a colossal, efficient nation, ruled by Emperor John X with an iron fist, and notable for its free-roaming dinosaurs, unlimited-speed roads, and frequent executions. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless, devout population of 7.908 billion Californians are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

The medium-sized, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of San Ramon. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 70.8%.

The frighteningly efficient Californian economy, worth a remarkable 1,140 trillion Sōngs a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. However, for those in the know, there is a slick, highly efficient, fairly diversified black market in Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, Beef-Based Agriculture, and Book Publishing. The private sector mostly consists of enterprising ten-year-olds selling lemonade on the sidewalk, but the government is looking at stamping this out. Average income is an impressive 144,165 Sōngs, but there is a large disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 595,351 per year while the poor average 22,951, a ratio of 25.9 to 1.

"What's the Frequency, Emperor John X?" is a favorite phrase of backyard radio broadcasters when interrupting official diplomatic channels, some are born loving old plays and some have old plays thrust upon them, there are no longer any roads less traveled, and schoolchildren must pass a six-month Ethics and Safety Committee Assessment before they are allowed to mix baking soda and vinegar. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a very well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Imperium California's national animal is the Red Bear, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests, and its national religion is Celestial Mysticism.

Imperium California is ranked 38,187^th in the world and 1,132^nd in The North Pacific for Most Subsidized Industry, scoring 4,841.14 on the Gilded Widget Scale.