The Glaciated Territories of Gastiesz is a gargantuan, cultured nation, notable for its unlimited-speed roads, keen interest in outer space, and irreverence towards religion. The hard-working, cynical, cheerful population of 45.893 billion Gastieszians are proud of their wide-ranging civil freedoms, and those who aren't tend to be dragged off the streets by men in dark suits and hustled into cars with tinted windows.

The relatively small, well-organized government is primarily concerned with Education, although Welfare is also considered important, while Defense and Industry are ignored. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 8.7%.

The enormous but underdeveloped Gastieszian economy, worth a remarkable 1,746 trillion admunsens a year, is led by the Book Publishing industry, with significant contributions from Beef-Based Agriculture, Soda Sales, and Uranium Mining. Average income is 38,046 admunsens, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 124,313 per year while the poor average 8,754, a ratio of 14.2 to 1.

Fur coats have become the latest fashion trend, corporations are either above the law or corrupting it, organ donation rates are among the lowest in the region, and protesters are up in arms over new nuclear power stations. Crime, especially youth-related, is almost non-existent. Gastiesz's national animal is the emperor penguin, which is also the nation's favorite main course.

Gastiesz is ranked 144,902^nd in the world and 3^rd in Antarctic for Largest Insurance Industry, scoring 1,066.89 on the Risk Expulsion Effectiveness Rating.