The Australian People's Republic of Astarina is a gargantuan, socially progressive nation, ruled by General Secretary Andrew Irving with a fair hand, and notable for its smutty television, keen interest in outer space, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, hard-working, democratic, devout population of 13.871 billion Australians hold their civil and political rights very dear, although the wealthy and those in business tend to be viewed with suspicion.

The relatively small, outspoken government prioritizes Education, although Healthcare and Defense are also considered important, while Spirituality and Social Policy receive no funds. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Canberra. The average income tax rate is 7.9%, but much higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Australian economy, worth a remarkable 2,717 trillion Australian dollars a year, is fairly diversified and led by the Information Technology industry, with major contributions from Book Publishing, Tourism, and Arms Manufacturing. Average income is an impressive 195,881 Australian dollars, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

There's no cure or sympathy for the common cold, small patches of desolate land across the world are part of Australian sovereign territory, many friends and relatives of General Secretary Andrew Irving have been given ambassador jobs in tropical island nations, and the entire entry for Astarina in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the World reads 'mostly harmless'. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown. Astarina's national animal is the kangaroo, which is also the nation's favorite main course, and its national religion is state atheism.

Astarina is ranked 100,156^th in the world and 62^nd in Commonwealth of Liberty for Largest Black Market, with 486 billion Standard Monetary Units.