The Republic of Aesculus is a colossal, efficient nation, remarkable for its frequent executions, multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, and compulsory military service. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless, devout population of 8.977 billion Aesculusians are ruled with an iron fist by the dictatorship government, which ensures that no-one outside the party gets too rich. In their personal lives, however, citizens are relatively unoppressed; it remains to be seen whether this is because the government genuinely cares about its people, or if it hasn't gotten around to stamping out civil rights yet.

The medium-sized, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Industry. The average income tax rate is 45.3%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Aesculusian economy, worth a remarkable 1,301 trillion 9003s 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 large, well-organized, fairly diversified black market in Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, Woodchip Exports, and Cheese Exports. 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 144,929 9003s, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Money can't buy happiness but it can buy immunity to prosecution, CSI Forest is this year's hit new crime show, drug lords often avoid prison time by teaching "chemistry" classes to underprivileged youth, and money is being desperately pumped into the ruined economy. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Aesculus's national animal is the 9003, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Aesculus is ranked 276,355^th in the world and 2^nd in accelerate for Highest Food Quality, scoring 6.25 on the Meeshlin-Starr Index.