The People's Republic of Aerius is a huge, safe nation, notable for its compulsory military service, frequent executions, and soft-spoken computers. The hard-nosed, democratic, humorless population of 367 million Aeris have some civil rights, but not too many, enjoy the freedom to spend their money however they like, to a point, and take part in free and open elections, although not too often.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Defense, Administration, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Falka. The average income tax rate is 50.1%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Aeri economy, worth 38.1 trillion Akoras 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, broadly diversified black market in Arms Manufacturing, Information Technology, Retail, 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 103,679 Akoras, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.2 times as much as the poorest.

Children are often punished for the sins of the fathers, any body part that can be cut off a person is no longer considered to be their property, a new "thought police" branch is being developed, and the Aeri war navy contains an oddly large number of luxury yachts and cruise liners. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Aerius's national animal is the Aeri Hammerbird, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to toxic air pollution.

Aerius is ranked 94,556^th in the world and 38^th in Karma for Largest Black Market, with 3.28 trillion Standard Monetary Units.