The Ancient Kingdom of Gustaven is a colossal, efficient nation, notable for its frequent executions, compulsory military service, and complete lack of public education. The hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical, humorless population of 7.974 billion Gustavenians are kept under strict control by the oppressive government, which measures its success by the nation's GDP and refers to individual citizens as "human resources."

The medium-sized, corrupt, moralistic, well-organized government juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defense, and Industry. It meets to discuss matters of state in the capital city of Habaara. Citizens pay a flat income tax of 17.7%.

The powerhouse Gustavenian economy, worth 486 trillion gudas a year, is broadly diversified and dominated by the Arms Manufacturing industry, with significant contributions from Automobile Manufacturing, Book Publishing, and Uranium Mining. Black market activity is notable. Average income is 61,026 gudas, but there is a significant disparity between incomes, with the richest 10% of citizens earning 185,914 per year while the poor average 15,545, a ratio of 12.0 to 1.

Cyclists spend more time unlocking their bicycles than they do cycling, incarcerated crime lords manage their empires from massage tables, withdrawal of support for drug addicts is leaving many with cold sweats, and almost half of the child population live rough on the streets. Crime, especially youth-related, is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Gustaven's national animal is the Crow, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to toxic air pollution.

Gustaven is ranked 116,160^th in the world and 21^st in United Alliances for Lowest Crime Rates, with 63.52 law-abiding acts per hour.