The Federal Republic of Alterae is a gargantuan, cultured nation, notable for its multi-spousal wedding ceremonies, irreverence towards religion, and absence of drug laws. The compassionate, democratic, cheerful population of 12.554 billion Alterrans hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The large, liberal, outspoken government is primarily concerned with Education, although Environment, Administration, and Healthcare are also considered important, while Spirituality is ignored. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Norberg. The average income tax rate is 94.9%.

The frighteningly efficient Alterran economy, worth a remarkable 1,784 trillion Credits a year, is quite specialized and mostly made up of the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism and Book Publishing. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is an impressive 142,122 Credits, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Rebuilding efforts for a recently destroyed cathedral aren't expected to be completed for another century, power stations shutting down at night has made bedtime reading tricky, the government is hoping that medical aid will speak louder than human rights abuses, and war vets look after war animals. Crime is totally unknown. Alterae's national animal is the North Alterran Dove-tailed Swallow, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies.

Alterae is ranked 46,662^nd in the world and 2,634^th in Balder for Most Subsidized Industry, scoring 4,163.22 on the Gilded Widget Scale.