The Scientific Powerhouse of Dark Matter is a gargantuan, environmentally stunning nation, ruled by General Superintendent Aleister Crowley with an iron fist, and remarkable for its complete lack of prisons, irreverence towards religion, and stringent health and safety legislation. The hard-nosed, cynical, humorless population of 13.582 billion Espers are ruled without fear or favor by a psychotic dictator, who outlaws just about everything and refers to the populace as "my little playthings."

The large, corrupt, socially-minded, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Education, Defense, and Law & Order. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Academy City. The income tax rate is 100%.

The frighteningly efficient scientific economy, worth a remarkable 5,303 trillion Euros 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 Information Technology, Arms Manufacturing, Book Publishing, and Tourism. 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 amazing 390,510 Euros, and distributed extremely evenly, with little difference between the richest and poorest citizens.

Scientists spend more time enduring government inspections than they do on actual science, the once prosperous capital is in utter decline, signs at the border tell international drivers where they can put their cars, and surfing lessons include how to ward off sharks. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to a well-funded police force and progressive social policies in education and welfare. Dark Matter's national animal is the Phoenix, which soars majestically through the nation's famously clear skies, and its national religion is Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Dark Matter is ranked 912^th in the world and 18^th in Europe for Most Advanced Public Education, scoring 24,976.84 on the Edu-tellignce® Test Score.