The Democratic States of Artaecus is a massive, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by Kaathe Rhinehardt with a fair hand, and renowned for its compulsory military service, sprawling nuclear power plants, and absence of drug laws. The hard-working, democratic population of 3.148 billion Artaecusians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The medium-sized government juggles the competing demands of Education, Industry, and Healthcare. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Tau Volantis. The average income tax rate is 66.2%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Artaecusian economy, worth 378 trillion Kalroes a year, is broadly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Tourism, Arms Manufacturing, and Beef-Based Agriculture. Average income is an impressive 120,216 Kalroes, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Artaecusians refer to transgender people with insults instead of pronouns, the price of takeaway food quadruples after 6pm, vast amounts of energy are expended moving water to hilltop lakes, and immigrants who carry knives on them are presumed to be chefs. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Artaecus's national animal is the Artaecusian Desert Fox, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Artaecus is ranked 18,689^th in the world and 48^th in The Hole To Hide In for Most Popular Tourist Destinations, with 1,406.17 Tourists Per Hour.