The Republic of Askio is a huge, socially progressive nation, notable for its keen interest in outer space, ubiquitous missile silos, and national health service. The compassionate, hard-working, democratic population of 721 million Askians are effectively ruled by a group of massive corporations, who run for political office and provide their well-off citizens with world-class goods and services. Their poorer citizens, however, are mostly starving to death while being urged to go out and get real jobs. The populace has reasonably extensive civil rights, although these are mostly aimed at allowing them to buy whatever they like.

The medium-sized, outspoken government juggles the competing demands of Industry, Administration, and Education. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Astorio. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 43.6%.

The frighteningly efficient Askian economy, worth 83.5 trillion Spesmiloj a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Retail, Book Publishing, and Tourism. Average income is an impressive 115,815 Spesmiloj, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 326,922 per year while the poor average 32,843, a ratio of 10.0 to 1.

Foreigners must sell an arm and a leg to afford surgery in Askio, graffiti graces every city's streets, there is something rotten in the state of Askio, and whales in captivity live in little more than glorified goldfish bowls. Crime is totally unknown. Askio's national animal is the Dragon.

Askio is ranked 90,284^th in the world and 5^th in Esperanto for Highest Poor Incomes, with 32,843.21 Standard Monetary Units.