The Colony of Cygnus 104 is a mammoth, orderly nation, notable for its frequent executions, keen interest in outer space, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, cynical, devout population of 6.203 billion Cygnus 104ians are prohibited from doing almost everything except voting, which they do timidly and conservatively.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Law & Order, and Industry. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 32.5%.

The Cygnus 104ian economy, worth 257 trillion stardusts a year, is quite specialized and led by the Door-to-door Insurance Sales industry, with major contributions from Uranium Mining, Woodchip Exports, and Pizza Delivery. Black market activity is frequent. State-owned companies are reasonably common. Average income is 41,555 stardusts, with the richest citizens earning 8.2 times as much as the poorest.

Some of the country's most famous photographers are animals, road signs are getting harder to read under layers of knitted woolen cardigans, pregnant hitchhikers with signs requesting rides to "competent care" are a common sight on Cygnus 104ian roads, and fewer people are bathing as citizens must show ration stamps before they can turn on their faucets. Crime is relatively low, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Cygnus 104's national animal is the nebulae, which frolics freely in the nation's many lush forests.

Cygnus 104 is ranked 116,975^th in the world and 6,415^th in Balder for Largest Trout Fishing Sector, scoring 2,401.39 on the Nemo Depletion Efficiency Index.