The Technocratic State of Cortexis is a massive, cultured nation, ruled by Archbrain Vorlis with an iron fist, and notable for its barren, inhospitable landscape, keen interest in outer space, and punitive income tax rates. The hard-nosed, cynical population of 2.629 billion Cortexisians are ruled by a mostly-benevolent dictator, who grants the populace the freedom to live their own lives but watches carefully for anyone to slip up.

The medium-sized, corrupt, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Education, Administration, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Cortexis Prime. The average income tax rate is 92.3%, and even higher for the wealthy.

The frighteningly efficient Cortexisian economy, worth 507 trillion platins a year, is driven entirely by a combination of government and state-owned industry, with private enterprise illegal. The industrial sector, which is broadly diversified, is dominated by the Information Technology industry, with significant contributions from Arms Manufacturing, Uranium Mining, and Book Publishing. Average income is an impressive 193,199 platins, and evenly distributed, with the richest citizens earning only 2.0 times as much as the poorest.

High school band practice is often crashed by technicolor-clad ravers, feeling like a winner comes at a price, sushi is sold on the black market, and politicians "baring all" for the camera isn't always a figure of speech. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a capable police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Cortexis's national animal is the lab rat, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation.

Cortexis is ranked 244,857^th in the world and 1,115^th in Europe for Most Rebellious Youth, scoring -16 on the Stark-Dean Displacement Index.